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Lexical Suffixes and the Position of Proto-Wakashan within the Northwest Coast Linguistic Area

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2016

Michael Fortescue
Michael Fortescue*
Affiliation:
University of Copenhagen
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Abstract

It is argued that the numerous “restrictive” lexical suffixes typifying the Wakashan languages today actually represent the result of influence from neighbouring Salishan languages. The evidence for this lies in their fluctuating status as lexical head or dependent within Wakashan as opposed to their typological normalcy in Salishan (where they simply modify the stem, the lexical head). A historical framework is suggested that would explain this and a number of other divergences from typological expectations in Wakashan, namely a development from an earlier SOV (dependent-head) stage to VSO order under areal influence. From this perspective, the “governing” suffixes of the Wakashan languages (with no counterpart in Salishan) are in the expected order vis-à-vis dependent stems. This has a bearing on the contribution to the Northwest Coast areal mix made by individual languages in — or moving into — the area in prehistoric times.

Résumé

Résumé

Dans le présent article, on argue que les nombreux suffixes lexicaux « restrictifs » aujourd’hui caractéristiques des langues wakashannes représentent en fait l’influence des langues salishannes avoisinantes. En wakashan, ces suffixes ont un statut variable : ils peuvent agir comme tête lexicale ou comme dépendant. Dans la famille salishenne, ils ne sont que de simples modifieurs du radical, la tête lexicale. On propose un cadre historique pour expliquer cette situation, ainsi que d’autres divergences typologiques, notamment l’abandon graduel, sous l’influence des langues avoisinantes, d’une étape précédente présentant l’ordre SOV (subordonné-tête). Dans cette perspective, les suffixes « régissants » des langues wakashannes (qui n’ont pas d’équivalents dans les langues salishennes) se trouvent dans l’ordre attendu vis-à-vis des radicaux régis, ce qui est pertinent pour bien comprendre les contributions à la configuration linguistique faites par les langues déjà établies ou s’établissant sur la côte Nord-Ouest à l’ère préhistorique.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique , Volume 54 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 27 - 41
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Linguistic Association/Association canadienne de linguistique 2009 

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