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Article published In:
Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 43:2 (2020) ► pp.256–291

Verb classes in Horpa

A study of Balang Geshiza and Poxiu Stau

| University of Helsinki | Nazarbayev University
Based on argument indexation properties, this paper offers a model of four verb classes for Geshiza and Stau, two closely related and endangered Horpa lects spoken in Sichuan. Despite increased awareness and interest in Horpa, no exhaustive classification of verbs from the viewpoint of argument indexation has been offered. Even though argument indexation itself has been discussed in previous scholarship, the striking diversity of argument indexation patterns has not been addressed. It is shown that both Geshiza and Stau, the two lects chosen as the sample for this study, share the same verb classes, even though the class assignment of individual cognate verbs occasionally varies. The paper also describes how semantic and animacy features inherent in verbs, most prominently compatibility with human S and P arguments resulting in compatibility with speech act participants, play a crucial role in verb class assignment. Establishing a framework for Horpa verb classes helps in the ongoing descriptive work of these languages. In addition, it offers new material for typological studies of argument indexation.
Keywords: Horpa, Geshiza, Stau, argument indexation, verb agreement
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Goals of the paper and source materials
    • 1.2Structure and conventions
  • 2.Morphosyntactic preliminaries
    • 2.1Argument indexation suffixes
    • 2.2Hierarchical alignment and inverse marking
      • 2.2.1Formal properties of the inverse prefix
    • 2.3Argument indexation suffixes and vowel fusion
  • 3.Overview of the verb classes
  • 4.Verb classes
    • 4.1Verb class 1
      • Class 1a
      • Class 1b
    • 4.2Verb class 2
      • Class 2a
      • Class 2b
    • 4.3Verb class 3
      • Class 3a
      • Class 3b
    • 4.4Verb class 4
  • 5.Variation and Irregularities
    • 5.1Verbs borrowed from Tibetan in Stau
    • 5.2Different transitivity value
    • 5.3Different class assignment inside either transitive or intransitive classes
    • 5.4Lect-internal variation: Grammatical and pragmatic factors
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 4 January 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.19013.hon
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