Ergativity

This book contains cutting edge theoretical papers by top authors in the field, who also conduct original field work and bring new data to light. It contains articles that apply the most recent theoretical tools to the area of ergativity, and explore issues that emerge. The articles are written by linguists with expertise in bringing original data to bear on complex theoretical issues. The overall theme of the volume is the formal expression of the range and limits of ergativity. The main sections are on the nature of ergative and absolutive case, the antipassive, split ergativity, and ergativity in languages not generally considered to be ergative. Languages investigated are Basque, Chukchi, Georgian, Halkomelem Salish, Hindi, Inuktitut, Kirundi, Malagasy, Niuean, Nuumiipuutímt, Russian, Tongan, and Warlpiri. TOC:Acknowledgements. Preface. Part I: The Cases. The Locus of Ergative Case Assignment: Evidence from Scope. Neither Absolutive nor Ergartive is Nominative or Accusative. Eccentric Agreement and Multiple Case Checking. Syntactic Ergativity in Tongan.- Part II: Splits. A Parametric Syntax of Aspectually Conditioned Split-Ergativity. Split Absolutive. Deriving Split Ergativity in the Progressive. On Ergativity in Halkomelem Salish. Tree-Geometric Relational Hierarchies and Nuumiipuutímt (Nez Perce) Case.- Part III: Antipassive. Antipassive Morphology and Case Assignment in Inuktitut. The Ergativity Parameter: A View from Antipassive. Ergativity and Change Inuktitut.- Part IV: The Range of Ergativity. Ergativity in Austronesian Languages. The Split Verb as a Source of Morphological Ergativity.- Index.