NXAʔAMXCIN
SUMMARY
In Nxaʔamxcin, in the context of a (possessive) applicative suffix on the verb, but not otherwise, the possessor of the direct object can control object agreement on the verb, rather than the direct object itself. Agreement features are person and number. Evidence for constituency of possessors controlling agreement and possessed nouns arguably comes from the possibility of passivising the whole possessive phrase.
See also Chimane, Mi’gmaq, Spokane, Tseltal, Tzotzil (Zinacantán).
LANGUAGE PROFILE
ISO 639-3:
col
WALS ID:
cew
LOCATION:
Washington, Idaho; United States
CO-ORDINATES:
47°5'N, 120°W
AFFILIATION:
Salishan, Interior Salish
EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF PIPS
- Evidence for the internal status of possessors comes from adnominal genitive case-marking on the possessor.
- The whole possessive phrase can be passivized as a whole, indicating that it functions as a single constituent for the purposes of valence changing operations.
KEY SOURCES
Willett, Marie Louise. 2003. A grammatical sketch of Nxa'amxcin (Moses-Columbia Salish). PhD dissertation, University of Victoria.
