Areal diffusion of applicatives in the Amazon

Contact language library, pp. 179–216

Abstract

Abstract Many genetically unrelated languages of (North)western Amazonia share certain specific characteristics, which may be due to areal diffusion. 1 Especially the eclectic classifier systems encountered across this region have been in focus lately, as well as valency changing strategies, in particular applicatives involving forms resembling -tA , which show conspicuous similarities across (North)western and Southern Amazonia. Ongoing research in Southern Amazonia has led to the identification of a number of very similar traits and even some striking formal similarities. Even though the (North)western and Southern Amazon may not constitute a single linguistic area, certain grammatical traits such as classifier systems and valency-changing strategies can be considered as areal features of the Amazon region as a whole, and beyond. In this article we will discuss correspondences between the expressions of valency change in the (North)western and Southern Amazon regions.

Authors 2

1. Mily Crevels Aachen

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   LUCL, Universiteit Leiden

2. Hein van der Voort

   Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi

   Affiliation as printed

   Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi