Reference-tracking in complex sentences in Quichua Santiagueño: Remarks on the functional complexity of switch-reference clauses

JUANATEY, MAYRA

Workshop; Workshop on Complex Sentences in South American Languages; 2021

Laboratoire de sciences du langage structure et dynamiq.

Complex sentences display a relationship between two or more events, and different languages ​​have different strategies to deal with encoding the participants in each event (Van Gijn et al. 2014). This paper presents an introduction to reference-tracking in linked clauses in Quichua Santiagueño (Quechua, Argentina), with emphasis on switch-reference clauses. Switch-reference systems are functionally complex in world languages, as they can provide information about the congruence between eventualities, with referential continuity being only one of their sub-functions (Stirling 1993). These systems are therefore closely linked to both the marking of referential and temporal meanings. The markers -spa (continuity) and -pti (discontinuity) in Quichua Santiagueño collaborate in the reference-tracking of the subject nominal phrases, as seen in (1) for -pti. It was addressed in this research that this language system has some distinctive features that differentiate it from other languages ​​in the family, in particular with regard to plural subjects. (1) [wasi-yi-ta chaya-pti-yi] mamaj-yi tapu-ai-ra-øj [...]home-poss.1sg-acc arrive-disc-poss.1sgmother-poss.1sg ask-obj.1sg-pst-3sg'When I got home, my mother asked me [...].' On the other hand, the markers can also respond to the temporal relation between the events. The latter can be clearly noticed in cases where the tracking of syntactic subjects fails, as in (2). In this example, the marked clause depicts a situation that is the result of an event that took place over a period of time prior to the event mentioned in the main clause. This temporal discontinuity is indicated by the marker -pti.(2) [musiqueroina pishi-sitiya-pti-ni] ni-saka-ra-øimusicianalrady tire-nmlz.antcop.loc-disc-poss.3sgsay-nmlz.antcop-pst-3sguku-ni-man [...]inside-poss.3sg-dir'When the musician was already tired, he said to himself [...].' The strategy used to interpret the arguments of the events of the linked clauses in this language varies depending on the level of nominalization of the dependent clause. The fact that the switch-reference markers are involved not only in reference-tracking, but also in the indication of temporality ?among other syntactic and semantic functions?, makes these constructions less nominalized. According to the findings of this study, the switch-reference system in Quichua Santiagueño plays an important role in the maintenance of discourse coherence, as defined by Givón (2001), i.e. the continuity or recurrence of some element(s) ?referents, but also locations, temporality, aspectuality, modality, perspective and events? across a contiguous span of multi-propositional discourse. This property of switch-reference clauses in the language will be of utmost importance to understand their role not only in complex syntax but in the organization of discourse.ReferencesGivón, T. (2001). Syntax: An Introduction. Vol. 2. John Benjamins Publishing Company.Stirling, L. (1993). Switch-reference and Discourse Representation. Cambridge Studies in Linguistics 63. Cambridge University Press.Van Gijn, R., J. Hammond, D. Matić, S. van Putten and A. Galucio, eds. (2014). Information Structure and Reference Tracking in Complex Sentences. Typological Studies in Language. Vol. 105. John Benjamins Publishing Company.