Article Title

Dakota Sioux objects

Authors

Thomas M. Pinson, SIL-UND

DOI

10.31356/silwp.vol38.10

Abstract

This article is a study of certain syntactic and morphological processes in Dakota Sioux within the Relational Grammar framework. There are three main topics dealt with as they relate to verb agreement: advancements to direct object, Possessor Ascensions, and Clause Union. All three of these topics distinguish between direct objects, indirect objects and obliques.

Verb agreement is examined and shown to consist of two distinct systems: person agreement and number agreement. These two systems give empirical evidence to the support of the multilevel relational network of Unaccusative and Reflexive clauses. It is also shown that an analysis which posits advancements to direct object allows for concise generalizations, whereas an analysis which does not include advancement to direct object cannot capture these generalizations.

There are two types of Possessor Ascension attested cross-linguistically: one in which the possessor assumes the grammatical relation of the host, and one in which the possessor assumes a grammatical relation other than the host. This article shows that Dakota Sioux has both constructions.

The last topic dealt with is Clause Union, in particular Causative Union. This article presents evidence that a union construction in Sioux is superficially monoclausal yet contains two predicates. After the evidence for the multipredicate clause is presented, verb agreement is again examined since both predicates may show person and number agreement.

Recommended Citation

Pinson, Thomas M. (1994) "Dakota Sioux objects," Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session: Vol. 38, Article 10.
DOI: 10.31356/silwp.vol38.10
Available at: https://commons.und.edu/sil-work-papers/vol38/iss1/10