On competing degree morphemes in verbs of change in Southern Aymara

Glossa: A Journal of General Linguistics

2021

This paper discusses degree achievements cross-linguistically, focusing on the maximalization possibilities reported in the literature. I introduce a four-way typology where languages differ regarding whether they overtly mark (with lexical items) degree maximalization (i.e., the scale of the degree achievement is bounded in an event) and/or event maximalization (i.e., there is a unique maximal event in the denotation of the predicate), and account for the variation. The four types are represented by English, which does not overtly mark degree or event maximalization; Southern Aymara, which overtly marks degree but not event maximalization; Polish, which overtly marks event maximalization only; and Hungarian, which overtly marks event maximalization with an additional requirement regarding the presence of lexical maxima (if available). I provide tests to distinguish degree vs. event maximalization. My proposal is implemented in Beavers’s (2011, 2012) Figure/Path Relation model, making use of a restricted set of lexical items to account for the variation. I suggest that the typology examined is exhaustive, and discuss the variation in telicity contrasts that arise as a result of different maximalization possibilities.

“…The discussion about Aymara is based on Martínez Vera (2018b). For an overview on the Aymara grammar, see Cerrón-Palomino (2008).…”

Section: Marked and Unmarked Expressionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Degree achievements and maximalization: a cross-linguistic perspective

Glossa: A Journal of General Linguistics

2021

Revisiting aspectualsein Spanish: telicity, statives, and maximization

2022

The Linguistic Review

This paper addresses aspectual se in Spanish. Building on the previous analyses that have been proposed in the literature to account for constructions with aspectual se that mainly focus on the syntax of these (see, e.g., MacDonald, Jonathan E. 2017. Spanish aspectual se as an indirect object reflexive: The import of atelicity, bare nouns, and leísta PCC repairs. Probus. International Journal of Romance Linguistics 29(1). 73–118), this paper provides a semantic account that makes explicit (i) why dynamic predicates must be telic in the presence of se, and (ii) why the very same se can appear with a limited number of stative predicates, which are atelic. The account is implemented in the Figure/Path Relation model in Beavers, John. 2011. On affectedness. Natural Language & Linguistic Theory 29(2). 335–370, Figure/Path Relation model. I propose a maximization strategy that captures that dynamic predicates in constructions with se are always telic by indicating the conditions under which the theme has a fixed quantity and the scale/path that may be associated with the verb is bounded. This maximization strategy is then compared to and distinguished from the event maximization strategies proposed for Slavic languages (Filip, Hana. 2008. Events and maximalization: The case of telicity and perfectivity. In Susan Rothstein (ed.), Theoretical and crosslinguistic approaches to the semantics of aspect, 217–256. Amsterdam: John Benjamins) and Hungarian (Kardos, Éva. 2016. Telicity marking in Hungarian. Glossa: A Journal of General Linguistics 1(1). 1–37), and to the scale/path maximization strategy proposed for Southern Aymara (Martínez Vera, Gabriel. 2021a. Degree achievements and degree morphemes in competition in Southern Aymara. Linguistics and Philosophy 44. 695–735).

Superlatives across domains: Evidence from degree achievements in Southern Aymara

2018

SALT

This papers proposes that Southern Aymara, an understudied Andean language, has a verbal superlative degree morpheme, namely, -su, that combines with degree achievements. I illustrate this with verbs with -cha, a suffix that derives degree achievements, to which -su attaches. I show that sentences with the verbal superlative -su have absolute and relative readings, which is similar to sentences with adjectival superlatives (as has beed discussed for English). I further show that relative readings arise when the verbal superlative interacts with focus. I propose that verbal superlatives involve comparison of degree-event pairs.