Descriptor
| Diachronic Linguistics | 3 |
| Language Research | 3 |
| Nouns | 3 |
| American Indian Languages | 2 |
| Case (Grammar) | 2 |
| Componential Analysis | 2 |
| Morphology (Languages) | 2 |
| Sentence Structure | 2 |
| Syntax | 2 |
| Verbs | 2 |
| Word Order | 2 |
| More ▼ | |
Source
Author
| Derbyshire, Desmond C. | 3 |
| Pullum, Geoffrey K. | 1 |
Publication Type
| Reports - Research | 2 |
| Speeches/Meeting Papers | 1 |
Education Level
Audience
Location
Laws, Policies, & Programs
Assessments and Surveys
What Works Clearinghouse Rating
Derbyshire, Desmond C. – 1991
A study examines evidence concerning whether Amazonian languages have moved historically from earlier ergative-absolutive systems to nominative-accusative or mixed systems, or whether the change has been in the other direction. The main focus is on the Cariban language family. After a review of relevant literature, data from three of these…
Descriptors: Case (Grammar), Diachronic Linguistics, Language Research, Linguistic Theory
Derbyshire, Desmond C.; Pullum, Geoffrey K. – 1979
Recently collected evidence shows the likely existence of twelve South American Indian languages with object-initial word order. This is contrary to what had been generally predicted in the literature on word order typology before 1977. Numerous examples are provided of OVS (Object-Verb-Subject) and OSV (Object-Subject-Verb) word order, primarily…
Descriptors: American Indian Languages, Componential Analysis, Diachronic Linguistics, Language Research
Derbyshire, Desmond C. – 1979
This research suggests a possible diachronic explanation for the emergence of OVS (Object-Verb-Subject) as basic sentence word order in Carib languages. The application of afterthought grammaticalization patterns to explain diachronic change in the position of subject necessitates some modification of Hyman's and Venneman's hypotheses. Neither…
Descriptors: American Indian Languages, Case (Grammar), Componential Analysis, Diachronic Linguistics
