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Middle Voice in Otomi

Authors :
Enrique L. Palancar
Source :
International Journal of American Linguistics. 70:52-85
Publication Year :
2004
Publisher :
University of Chicago Press, 2004.

Abstract

In this article, I claim that Otomi has a nasal morpheme that serves as an exponent of middle voice. My data come from the dialect of San Ildefonso Tultepec, but a similar phenomenon can be observed in other dialects, so that the claims made here could be extended to Otomi as a diasystem. The study is based on a sample of 72 verbs that display the middle morpheme, a sample intended as a quantitative reference for the qualitative patterns found in the language. About two‐thirds of the verbs in this sample still show traces of lexical derivation. However, the derivative process has become unproductive and most middle verbs in Otomi function as independent units in the lexicon, showing just a morphological connection to their source verbs. My sample also contains cases where the source of the derivation was difficult, if not impossible, to reconstruct.

Details

ISSN :
15457001 and 00207071
Volume :
70
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
International Journal of American Linguistics
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........4c5dcfbf093e4eb882e1f64fd68b6b30
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1086/422266