User talk:Vmw

Working Analysis of Copular Clauses

ref

The main copula in Sereer is {\it ref}. Here is what I think about it so far:

Interactions with Definiteness

You can have both the subject and predicate of a copular clause be indefinite. In that case, you get a generalized reading; in example <glr id="man.fisherman"/>, both the subject and predicate lack determiners, and the meaning is that "man" as a general term applying to the gender, are fishermen.

<gl id="man.fisherman" fontsize=12> okoor arefa opaafaal \gll okoor a= ref -a opaafaal man 3s= be -FV fisherman \trans man is a fisherman (239) </gl>

The more common type of copular clause will not have an indefinite predicate and subject, however. Most often, one will find definite marking on the subject, or the subject will be a proper name, as shown in <\glr id="the.father"/>. It is also possible for both the subject and the predicate to be definite, as shown in xxx (the man is the fisherman).

<gl id="the.father" fontsize=12> Jegan arefa faap \gll Jegan a= ref -a faap Jegan 3s= be -FV father \trans Jegan is a father (239) </gl>

Importantly, if the subject is indefinite and the predicate is definite, then the subject becomes a property predicated on the original predicate. As shown in xxx(father is Jegan).

faap arefa J an example of a father is Jegan.

=oo

I believe that =oo is a phonologically dependent element. It can appear outside of independently attested non-dependent components of NPs and PPs, so I analyze it here as a clitic.

=oo is a restricted copular clause marker that indicates that at speaking time, the subject is accurately described by the predicate of a copular clause. The most common construction of this type is shown in xxx(tree), where the subject is only marked as the 3rd person singualr clitic on the verb, and "tree" acts as the predicate.

ndaxaroo it's a tree (200)

However, as indicated above, =oo will always attach to the right edge of the predicate; it will appear outside of the possessive person marker, outside adjectives, and definitie articles, all of which follow the noun that they modify.

Ami otew taɓuyoo Ami isa short woman (239)

Jegan ofes umoo (239) Jegan is her boyfriend

• Jegan ofes oo um (239)

oɓox ole kam andok aleoo it is the dog in the room (239)