Thesis Chapters by Nataliya Veit
Semantic verb classes in Tima (Niger-Congo), 2023
This study represents a linguistic analysis of verbs in Tima, a Niger-Congo language spoken in Su... more This study represents a linguistic analysis of verbs in Tima, a Niger-Congo language spoken in Sudan. The aim is to establish coherent semantic classes of verbs based on their common morphosyntactic behavior, the underlying hypothesis being that the commonalities in the morphosyntactic behavior may be accounted for by common semantic components shared by verbs that behave similarly. The participation of verbs in valency-changing operations is taken as a pattern of common morphosyntactic behavior. Valence and, concomitantly, argument structure alteration is signaled in Tima by the employment of derivational suffixes. Extension by particular derivational suffixes is available to particular groups of verbs, i.e. the productivity of a given derivational morpheme is restricted by the lexical semantics of verbal roots. Tima has a rich derivational morphology, particularly in its postverbal elements (affixes and clitics). Yet two suffixes are most relevant in terms of valency-changing operations in that they show specific compatibility constraints and depend on the meaning of the verb. The distribution of these two suffixes, -ʌk/-ak, which is used in detransitivizing constructions, and -Vk, which can serve in both intransitivizing and transitivizing functions, is the major concern of the present dissertation. Both morphemes are multifunctional; their specific reading depends on the semantic class of the verb extended by the suffix.
The dissertation is structured around these two morphemes and their distribution across the Tima verbal lexicon. The general background, including theoretical issues and general linguistic information on the Tima language, is presented in Chapter 1. Chapters 2 and 3 describe the functional scope tied to the verbal semantics of the morphemes -ʌk/-ak and -Vk, respectively.
Papers by Nataliya Veit
Anthropological Linguistics, Feb 14, 2024
Tima, a language of the Nuba Mountains in Sudan, is severely endangered, as can be seen in many d... more Tima, a language of the Nuba Mountains in Sudan, is severely endangered, as can be seen in many disappearing domains of the lexicon. One domain that is still relatively strong pertains to kinship. Continued use of this vocabulary can be linked to the high value still placed on social accountability among relatives. However, other aspects considered to be part of the handed-down social texture seem to be gradually falling into oblivion. This contribution on the lexical expression of kinship in Tima aims to describe the status quo concerning the structure of kinship units, i.e., the clan system, as well as the lexicon of kin relations. With regard to the latter, we also look at kin terms used in referential practices beyond the narrow domain of kin relatedness.
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Thesis Chapters by Nataliya Veit
The dissertation is structured around these two morphemes and their distribution across the Tima verbal lexicon. The general background, including theoretical issues and general linguistic information on the Tima language, is presented in Chapter 1. Chapters 2 and 3 describe the functional scope tied to the verbal semantics of the morphemes -ʌk/-ak and -Vk, respectively.
Papers by Nataliya Veit
The dissertation is structured around these two morphemes and their distribution across the Tima verbal lexicon. The general background, including theoretical issues and general linguistic information on the Tima language, is presented in Chapter 1. Chapters 2 and 3 describe the functional scope tied to the verbal semantics of the morphemes -ʌk/-ak and -Vk, respectively.