Ergativity and Other Alignment Types in Neo-Aramaic

Paul M. Noorlander, Ph.D. (2018) is currently a Rubicon Fellow at Leiden University seconded to the University of Cambridge. He is involved in Neo-Aramaic documentation and has published on various topics in Semitic languages and linguistics and contact with Indo-European.

Preface

List of Figures, Maps and Tables

Abbreviations and Symbols



1 Introduction

 1.1 Ergativity, an Enigma in Semitic Linguistics?

 1.2 Neo-Aramaic Dialects in the Land of Rivers

 1.5 Previous Approaches to Alignment in Eastern Neo-Aramaic

 1.6 Aims and Scope of This Book

 1.7 Sources and Transcription Conventions

 1.8 Outline



2 Who Did What to Whom in the Context of Neo-Aramaic

 2.1 Main Components of Verbal Inflection in Neo-Aramaic

 2.2 (Pro)nominals and Verbal Constructions Derived from (Pro)nominals

 2.3 Defining and Identifying the Alignment of Who Did What to Whom

 2.4 Conclusion: A Construction-Specific Approach

 2.5 Overviews of Inflection



3 Ergativity and Its Typology: The Trans-Zab Jewish Dialects

 3.1 Main Morphosyntactic Hallmarks

 3.2 Ergativity and Alignment Splits in Typological Perspectives

 3.3 Ergativity and Patient-Related Splits in Trans-Zab Jewish NENA

 3.4 Ergativity and Splits along the Tense-Aspect-Mood Scale

 3.5 Ergativity and Transitivity: Argument Omission and Valency Alternations

 3.6 Conclusion: Construction-Specific, Not Alignment-Specific Factors



4 Christian and Western Jewish Dialects of NENA

 4.1 Preliminary Notes on Morphosyntax

 4.2 Ergative or Passive? Agents In and Out of Focus

 4.3 Verb-Related Factors: Grammaticalization of Resultatives

 4.4 Argument-Related Factors: Harmonizing the Object

 4.5 Conclusion: Cross-System Harmonization



5 Below the Tigris: The Neo-Aramaic Dialects of Ṭur ʿAbdin and Mlaḥsó

 5.1 Morphosyntactic Traits of Central Neo-Aramaic

 5.2 The Neo-Aramaic Dialects of Ṭur ʿAbdin

 5.3 The Neo-Aramaic Dialect of Mlaḥsó

 5.4 The Primacy of Intransitive Coding

 5.5 Summary from Stem to Stern



6 Cross-Dialectal Synopsis of the Morphosyntax

 6.1 Tense-Aspect-Sensitive Splits

 6.2 Morphological Splits

 6.3 Splits and Transitivity Alternations

 6.4 Splits Based on Argument Properties



7 General Conclusion

 7.1 Constructions Leading a Life of Their Own

 7.2 A Taxonomy of Major Alignment Types



References

Index