The Formal Grammar of Switch-Reference (RLE Linguistics B: Grammar)

Download or read book The Formal Grammar of Switch-Reference (RLE Linguistics B: Grammar) written by Daniel L Finer and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-02-03 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book studies the syntax of switch-reference and its implications for the theory of grammar. Switch-reference, found in many genetically and geographically diverse languages, is a phenomenon whereby referential identity between subjects of hierarchically adjacent clauses is encoded by the presence of a morpheme, usually suffixed to the verb of the subordinate clause. This book argues that switch-reference should be analysed as a syntactic rather than a purely pragmatic or functional feature of language.