The role of nominalization in identifying linguistic areas in South America

GOLLUSCIO, LUCIA; HASLER, FELIPE; DE REUSE, WILLEM

Workshop; Workshop on Nominalization; 2014

This paper is part of an ongoing research aiming to define an areal typology of the Chaco languages. Following Comrie et al. (2010), we assume that linguistic areas are the result of dynamic processes with shifting boundaries. We examine features linked to complementation as a semantic domain in languages of two South American linguistic areas: the Chaco and the Andes. The Chaco languages included are: Pilagá (Guaykuruan), Wichí (Matacoan), Ayoreo (Zamucoan), Vilela (Lule-Vilela; genetic affiliation under discussion), and Tapiete (Tupí-Guaraní). The Andean languages considered are: Quechua (Quechua), Aymara (Aymara), Uchumataqu (Uru-Chipaya), Mapudungun (isolate), and Lule (Lule-Vilela; genetic affiliation under discussion).Our hypothesis is that the use of nominalized constructions in complementation is a relevant parameter to differentiate Andean languages from Chaco languages. More specifically, we claim that whereas the Guaycuruan, Mataguayan, and Zamucoan languages exhibit paratactic constructions or finite forms with clause-initial subordinators, the Andean languages manifest nominalization. Interestingly, like Andean languages, Vilela also has nominalized constructions.In addition, the presence of an invariable desiderative marker in four languages which appear to be peripheral with respect to their own areas ?Vilela, Uchumataqu, Mapudungun, and Lule? supports the hypothesis of a transitional area between Chaco and the Andes, already postulated for the domain of adverbial clauses in Golluscio, Hasler, and de Reuse (2014). We conclude that this transitional area does not fit in the traditional areal classification of South American languages. This finding functions as a useful corrective to overtly essentializing views (e.g. ?lowland? versus ?highland?, or ?Amazonian? versus ?Andean?) of the complex interrelationships of linguistic areas in South America.