Reanalysis of Serial Verb Constructions in Yimas, a Sepik-Ramu Language of Papua New Guinea

viii, 70 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.Yimas, a Nor-Pondo language of the Lower Sepik-Ramu in Papua New Guinea, has two causative constructions and one attemptive construction that appear to have developed historically from a particular kind of serial verb construction. Although Yimas has many complex verbal constructions, including three kinds of serial verb constructions, all three novel constructions, it is argued, were reanalyzed from juxtaposition serial verb constructions (JSC). The construction specific semantics, as well as the specific verbal semantics of tal 'hold', tmi 'say' and tay 'see' contributed to reanalysis. It is notable that three new constructions have developed from a single source construction. I argue that the iconic closeness of the JSC helped motivate this reanalysis. It also appears possible that other derivational morphology in Yimas has developed through this route. I argue that the development of derivational morphology in Yimas is different than the development of inflectional morphology. The tight, and iconically close, relationship of juxtaposition appears to be a possible motivating factor.Committee in Charge: Prof. Spike Gildea, Chair; Prof. Doris L. Payn