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A grammar of Jahai

Burenhult, Niclas LU (2002)
Abstract
Jahai, a language belonging to the Aslian branch of the Mon-Khmer language family, is spoken by a group of about 1,000 hunter-gatherers in the montane rainforests of northern Peninsular Malaysia. Drawing on linguistic data collected in the field, the present dissertation is a study of the grammar of Jahai. The work begins with an introduction to Jahai and its speakers, and subsequent chapters chart the fields of phonology, word formation, nominal word classes, verbal word classes, syntax and a phenomenon referred to here as expressive elaboration. It also includes a word-list. Although largely descriptive in character, the study makes use of suitable theoretical models for the analysis of linguistic features. Typological comparisons are... (More)
Jahai, a language belonging to the Aslian branch of the Mon-Khmer language family, is spoken by a group of about 1,000 hunter-gatherers in the montane rainforests of northern Peninsular Malaysia. Drawing on linguistic data collected in the field, the present dissertation is a study of the grammar of Jahai. The work begins with an introduction to Jahai and its speakers, and subsequent chapters chart the fields of phonology, word formation, nominal word classes, verbal word classes, syntax and a phenomenon referred to here as expressive elaboration. It also includes a word-list. Although largely descriptive in character, the study makes use of suitable theoretical models for the analysis of linguistic features. Typological comparisons are made at times, primarily with other Aslian languages.



The phonological section comprises an analysis of phonemes, phonotactic properties, prosody and the phonological behaviour of loanwords. Features of special interest include phonemic vowel nasality and peculiar realisations of word-final nasal consonants. Particular emphasis is placed on the morphological system, which involves intricate and diverse processes of affixation, cliticisation and reduplication. Such processes are analysed within the framework of Prosodic and Template Morphology. A fundamental distinction is made between 'inner' and 'outer' affixation. Verbal morphology is particularly complex, involving a range of derivational categories related to e.g. aspect, Aktionsart and nominalisation. Nominal morphology includes a typologically unusual derivational category of unitisation connected to quantification. The section on syntax analyses tentatively the structure of phrases and clauses and addresses problems of agreement and argument structure. The marginal phenomenon of expressive elaboration deviates in several respects from the ordinary linguistic system and therefore receives separate treatment.



In several respects, Jahai conforms to the patterns described for most other languages of the Aslian branch of Mon-Khmer. It also exhibits features hitherto undocumented elsewhere among its relatives. A pervasive feature of the Jahai linguistic system is its readiness to incorporate foreign elements, notably from Malay, the Austronesian majority language of the Malay Peninsula. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Popular Abstract in Swedish

Jahai är ett språk som tillhör asli-grenen av språkfamiljen mon-khmer och talas av ca 1000 jägare-samlare i bergsregnskogarna i norra Västmalaysia. Denna avhandling, baserad på språkliga data inhämtade i fält, beskriver och analyserar grammatiken i jahai. Arbetet inleds med en introduktion till språket och dess talare och behandlar sedan bl.a. ljudsystemet (fonologin), ordbildningssystemet (morfologin), ordklasserna samt fras- och satsbildningssystemet (syntaxen). Det innefattar även en ordlista. Analysen tar hjälp av lämpliga teoretiska modeller för att göra beskrivningen så tydlig som möjligt.



Det fonologiska avsnittet utgörs främst av en analys av språkljuden och hur dessa... (More)
Popular Abstract in Swedish

Jahai är ett språk som tillhör asli-grenen av språkfamiljen mon-khmer och talas av ca 1000 jägare-samlare i bergsregnskogarna i norra Västmalaysia. Denna avhandling, baserad på språkliga data inhämtade i fält, beskriver och analyserar grammatiken i jahai. Arbetet inleds med en introduktion till språket och dess talare och behandlar sedan bl.a. ljudsystemet (fonologin), ordbildningssystemet (morfologin), ordklasserna samt fras- och satsbildningssystemet (syntaxen). Det innefattar även en ordlista. Analysen tar hjälp av lämpliga teoretiska modeller för att göra beskrivningen så tydlig som möjligt.



Det fonologiska avsnittet utgörs främst av en analys av språkljuden och hur dessa kombineras till stavelser och ord. Bland drag av särskilt intresse kan nämnas språkets nasala vokaler och märkliga nasala konsonanter. Stor vikt läggs vid språkets morfologi, som innefattar flera komplicerade avledningsprocesser, bl.a. med hjälp av reduplikation. Verbens morfologi är särskilt komplex, och flera olika avledningar används för att markera hur en verbhandling tar sig uttryck. Även substantivens morfologi är relativt komplicerad. Avsnittet om syntax ger en introduktion till hur språket kombinerar ord till fraser och satser och tar upp t.ex. ordföljd och olika sätt att markera grammatiska relationer.



Grammatiken i jahai påminner på många sätt om den i andra asli-språk, men den uppvisar också drag som hittills inte dokumenterats på andra håll. Ett genomgående drag i språksystemet är dess uttalade tendens att integrera främmande språkliga element, framför allt från malajiska, det obesläktade majoritetsspråket i Västmalaysia. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Rischel, Jörgen, University of Copenhagen
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Kinesiska och språk och litteratur från Syd- och Sydostasien, Chinese, Languages and literatures of South and South-East Asia, expressives, argument, agreement, syntax, modality, Aktionsart, aspect, nominalisation, unitisation, reduplication, cliticisation, affixation, derivational morphology, prestopped nasals, phonology, vowel nasality, Malaysia, endangered languages, Austroasiatic, Mon-Khmer, Jahai, Aslian, Grammar, semantics, semiotics, Grammatik, semantik, semiotik, Phonetics, Fonetik, fonologi
pages
279 pages
publisher
Linguistics and Phonetics
defense location
Stora Algatan 4, Lund
defense date
2002-05-16 13:15:00
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Linguistics and Phonetics (015010003)
id
f7457540-200c-48eb-b6fa-5e601d2c1f64 (old id 20546)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:00:40
date last changed
2020-03-08 11:53:36
@phdthesis{f7457540-200c-48eb-b6fa-5e601d2c1f64,
  abstract     = {{Jahai, a language belonging to the Aslian branch of the Mon-Khmer language family, is spoken by a group of about 1,000 hunter-gatherers in the montane rainforests of northern Peninsular Malaysia. Drawing on linguistic data collected in the field, the present dissertation is a study of the grammar of Jahai. The work begins with an introduction to Jahai and its speakers, and subsequent chapters chart the fields of phonology, word formation, nominal word classes, verbal word classes, syntax and a phenomenon referred to here as expressive elaboration. It also includes a word-list. Although largely descriptive in character, the study makes use of suitable theoretical models for the analysis of linguistic features. Typological comparisons are made at times, primarily with other Aslian languages.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
The phonological section comprises an analysis of phonemes, phonotactic properties, prosody and the phonological behaviour of loanwords. Features of special interest include phonemic vowel nasality and peculiar realisations of word-final nasal consonants. Particular emphasis is placed on the morphological system, which involves intricate and diverse processes of affixation, cliticisation and reduplication. Such processes are analysed within the framework of Prosodic and Template Morphology. A fundamental distinction is made between 'inner' and 'outer' affixation. Verbal morphology is particularly complex, involving a range of derivational categories related to e.g. aspect, Aktionsart and nominalisation. Nominal morphology includes a typologically unusual derivational category of unitisation connected to quantification. The section on syntax analyses tentatively the structure of phrases and clauses and addresses problems of agreement and argument structure. The marginal phenomenon of expressive elaboration deviates in several respects from the ordinary linguistic system and therefore receives separate treatment.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
In several respects, Jahai conforms to the patterns described for most other languages of the Aslian branch of Mon-Khmer. It also exhibits features hitherto undocumented elsewhere among its relatives. A pervasive feature of the Jahai linguistic system is its readiness to incorporate foreign elements, notably from Malay, the Austronesian majority language of the Malay Peninsula.}},
  author       = {{Burenhult, Niclas}},
  keywords     = {{Kinesiska och språk och litteratur från Syd- och Sydostasien; Chinese; Languages and literatures of South and South-East Asia; expressives; argument; agreement; syntax; modality; Aktionsart; aspect; nominalisation; unitisation; reduplication; cliticisation; affixation; derivational morphology; prestopped nasals; phonology; vowel nasality; Malaysia; endangered languages; Austroasiatic; Mon-Khmer; Jahai; Aslian; Grammar; semantics; semiotics; Grammatik; semantik; semiotik; Phonetics; Fonetik; fonologi}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Linguistics and Phonetics}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{A grammar of Jahai}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}