Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Verbs of wearing in San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec and Copala Triqui

Work in progress -- Verbs of wearing in Zapotec and Copala Triqui show tremendous complexity in the relationship between the lexical semantics and the syntactic realization of the arguments.  They include whether the person, the body part of the person, or the item of the clothing is selected as subject of the sentence. I think these verbs pose tremendous problems for simple versions of mapping theory.


- no title specified

 

Verbs of wearing in San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec

 

Verb

Subject

Object

Items

Example

Translation

rr-cáá

Clothing

Body part of Person

glasses, tattoos, scars, shoes, watches

1.) Cáá rrèlòj náá=eby

1.) He is wearing a watch (on his hand).

r-ajcw

Person

Clothing

shirt, dress (vestido)

1) R-àjcw Juáàny cùtòòny.

1.) Juan is wearing a shirt. (15:011)

r-áày

Person

Clothing

skirt, diapers

1.) N-ááy bdòò zù'údy

1.) The baby is wearing diapers.

rr-be'cy

Person

Clothing

pants, underwear

1.) Rr-bè'cy Juáàny pàntlòòn.

1.) Juan is wearing pants.

n-ù'ú

Clothing

Body part of Person

earrings, false teeth, wigs, stockings, belts, girdles, gloves, ribbons, hat

1.)N-ù'ú lìxtóóny ììcy=bi.

2.) N-ù'ú làày pòstííjs rù'ú=by

1.)She has a ribbon on her head.

2. He has false teeth in his mouth. (15:030)

 

 

 

Verbs of wearing in Copala Triqui

Verb

Subject

Object

Items

Example

Translation

'nij

Body part of Person

Clothing

shoes, gloves, sash

'nij ra'a Juán nuj guanté.

Juán 'nij catuu̱n marque̱.

Juan is wearing gloves.

Juan is wearing a sash.

[Inserted BP Theme]

nuu (1)

Person

Clothing

shirt, huipil, pants, dress, underwear

Nuu Juán cotoó mare̱e.

Juan is wearing a red shirt

[Wear Person Theme]

nuu (2)

Clothing

Body part of person

hat, mask

Nuu nave̱ raa̱ Juán.

Nuu nuj na'na̱ rihaan Juán.

Juan has a hat on his head.

Juan has a mask on his face.

[Is-placed Theme BP]

nuu (3)

Body part of person

Clothing

glasses, ring, watch

Nuu rihaan Juán scura̠a̠n.

Juan is wearing glasses. [Supports BP Theme]

táá

Clothing

Body part of person

turban, mask

Táá tsej raa̱ Juán.

Juan is wearing a turban.

[Be-on-top Theme BP]

nacutáj ~ nutáj

Clothing

Body part of person

diaper

Nacuta̱a̱ tséj catuu̱n ne'ej.

The baby will wear a diaper.

[Encircle Theme BP]

 

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