This book is a synchronic description of the syntax of Sarikoli, an Eastern Iranian and Pamir language spoken exclusively in China. It is the first modern linguistic description of Sarikoli... Show moreThis book is a synchronic description of the syntax of Sarikoli, an Eastern Iranian and Pamir language spoken exclusively in China. It is the first modern linguistic description of Sarikoli syntax in English. The approach is theory-neutral, presenting and describing language data with commonly-accepted linguistic terminology. It includes copious linguistic examples transcribed in IPA accompanied by morpheme glosses and free translations. The entire corpus of texts and all linguistic research were gathered and conducted in the field by the researcher in cooperation with native speakers of Sarikoli. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the Sarikoli people and language in their geographical, historical, and cultural context. The typological profile, sociolinguistic situation, and previous research conducted on the language are discussed, along with short summaries on phonology, morphology, and verbs. The following chapters focus on different topics in the syntax of Sarikoli: noun phrase, pronouns and demonstratives, possession, comparison, adverbial modifiers, mood, clause structure, negation, clause combinations, modality, and evidentiality and new information. The concluding chapter introduces routine phrases and expressions. The appendices include transcripts of oral texts covering a wide range of genre and topics, as well as an orthography proposed by a native Sarikoli scholar. Show less
The Ik language (Icé-tód), spoken in northeast Uganda, forms the Kuliak(Rub) subgroup along with So/Tepeth and Nyang’í. These latter two lectshave already succombed to assimilative pressures from... Show moreThe Ik language (Icé-tód), spoken in northeast Uganda, forms the Kuliak(Rub) subgroup along with So/Tepeth and Nyang’í. These latter two lectshave already succombed to assimilative pressures from neighboring Niloticpastoralists like the Karimojong, Turkana, and Pokot. Despite similarsociolinguistic circumstances, Ik has so far held up and still remains vital asthe mother-tongue of hundreds of young children. Since Ik is the lastmember of a waning subgroup, its documentation and description mayprovide key pieces to the puzzle of East African linguistic and ethnic prehistory. The complexity of this prehistory is embodied in Ik grammar which shows many traits shared with languages in both Afroasistic and Nilo- Saharan language families. And so a full grammatical treatment of Ik can shed some needed light on the classification of other language groups.To that end, this study offers a comprehensive but balanced grammatical analysis of Ik. It covers the basics of the Ik sociolinguistic milieu, genetic classification, phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon. Of particular typological interest are Ik’s unusual systems of vowel harmony, tone, and case, as well as the syntax of subordinate clauses, the grammaticalization of case in the verbal system, and sequential and simultaneous clause chains. Other fascinating topics include pre-pause devoicing, frozen prefixes, tensed modifiers, non-canonical passives, and an irrealis-realis modal distinction. Lastly, between the grammar and lexicon is provided a collection of five culturally relevant Ik texts as holistic examples of Ik in its natural context. Show less
