Papers by Karumuri V. Subbarao
On pronominal classification: evidence from Marathi and Telugu
ling, 1991
Abstract Marathi aapan and Telugu tanu, like the well-known Japanese zibun, encode both the anaph... more Abstract Marathi aapan and Telugu tanu, like the well-known Japanese zibun, encode both the anaphoric and the pronominal properties. As with zibun, both aapan and tanu are bounded by long-distance antecedents, violate both nominative-island and specified-...
Lingua Posnaniensis (De Gruyter) , 2021
Control structures in Kokborok: A case of syntactic convergence. This paper presents a descriptiv... more Control structures in Kokborok: A case of syntactic convergence. This paper presents a descriptive study of the control structures in Kokborok, a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Tripura (one of the northeastern states in India) and demonstrates the contact-induced changes in the phenomenon of control in Kokborok which resulted due to the long-term contact with Bangla (Indo-Aryan), a genetically different language spoken in the state. the instances of genitive subject and the phenomenon of overt controllee in the embedded subject position in Kokborok are the cases in point. the instance of overt controllee described in this paper points to the deviation from the classic concept of PRO thereby demonstrating a property unique to the study of South Asian languages.
International Journal of the Sociology of Language
Syntactic strategies such äs the use of honorifics, causatives, intransitive verbs, and embedding... more Syntactic strategies such äs the use of honorifics, causatives, intransitive verbs, and embedding, and the use of the past tense, elliptical constructions, and passives to achieve politeness effects are discussed in this paper;. The three Indo-Aryan languages chosen are Hindi (H), Bengali (B), and Punjabi (P), and the two Dravidian languages are Telugu (T) and Malayalam (M). are chosen on the basis of our experience äs members of Speech communities using these languages. All three authors are fluent Speakers of Hindi and regularly interact with the Hindi speech Community. The first author is a native Speaker of Telugu, the second of Punjabi, and the third of Bengali. Thus, except for Malayalam, we have a fairly good idea of the syntactic strategies used for politeness effects.
Mon-Khmer Studies: A Journal of Southeast Asian Studies (2011),. Bangkok: Mahidoll Uniersity., 2011
We show that the formation of an Externally-Headed Relative Clause (EHRC) with the Comitative PP... more We show that the formation of an Externally-Headed Relative Clause (EHRC) with the Comitative PP as Head in Khasi is different from the formation of the other EHRCs in Khasi in particular and South Asian languages in general (See, Subbarao 2012). We propose a Thematic Eligibility Condition that needs to be met with for the Comitative PP to head an EHRC, Such condition is met by 'incorporating' specific categories such as a group marker, or a verbal reciprocal marker or both in the embedded verb.
This proposal has Universal Validity as the formation of an Externally-Headed Relative clause (EHRC) with the Comitative PP as Head in any human language has to meet the Thematic Eligibility Condition proposed in Subbarao (2012) in his book South Asian Languages: A Syntactic Typology, CUP.
Camridge Scholars Publishing, 2021
We start with a basic question: Is there a heuristic method to quantify similarities and differen... more We start with a basic question: Is there a heuristic method to quantify similarities and differences amongst languages? If there is a method that is available, can that method be fruitfully employed as a practical tool to enhance the quality of language teaching and learning methods in general and with regard to Hindi-Urdu in particular?
On Pronominal Classification in Marathi and Telugu, 1991
Marathi aapan and Telugu tanu, like the well-known Japanese zibun, encode both the anaphoric and ... more Marathi aapan and Telugu tanu, like the well-known Japanese zibun, encode both the anaphoric and the pronominal properties. As with zibun, both aapan and tanu are bounded by long-distance antecedents, violate both nominative-island and specified-subject conditions, and link to split antecedents. However, in the core local domain both aapan and tanu contrast with zibun. In this domain they are free like the regular pronouns. In contrast, zibun's antecedent may be in the local domain. Zibun thus categorizes with the anaphors in the local domain. We argue that both the standard (Chomsky 1981) and current (Whitman 1986, 1987; Sportiche 1986) nominal classifications are inadequate to capture the differences between zibun 'and AAPAN (that is, aapan and tanu class). The standard as well as Whitman's classification fail to capture the distinction between AAPAN and the regular pronouns. This distinction is captured by Sportiche. A problem with his analysis is that he advocates two distinct homonymous forms of zibun: a locally bound anaphor, Z-l, and a nonlocally bound pronoun, Z-2. We show that the Z-ljZ-2 split is untenable and that the bound pronouns are distinct from zibun. We propose a modified classification. It preserves the crucial features of all the entities involved. Moreover, it shows a natural balance between anaphors and pronouns consistent with the binding theory.
This paper presents a detailed description of the reciprocals in Kokborok (Tibeto-Burman) and pro... more This paper presents a detailed description of the reciprocals in Kokborok (Tibeto-Burman) and provides evidence to suggest that the syntactic convergence in Kokborok reciprocals resulted from language contact. The paper focuses on the reduplicated form of the verbal reciprocal-lai lai-, a rare indigenous feature across South Asian languages that performs the specific function of reciprocity. This feature has receded over a few decades due to the influence of the dominant language Bangla, an Indo-Aryan language that has been spoken in the proximity of Kokborok for a prolonged time.
Austroasiatic Syntax in Areal and Diachronic Perspective, 2020
This paper discusses relative clause formation in in Santali, a North Munda langusge, keepin the... more This paper discusses relative clause formation in in Santali, a North Munda langusge, keepin the Matching Analysis in view,
Routledg
This paper deals with Language contact and convergence in Northeastern India.
the poznań Society for the advancement of arts and Sciences, pL ISSn 0079-4740, pp. 21-52
Control structures in Kokborok: A case of syntactic convergence. the poznań Society for the advan... more Control structures in Kokborok: A case of syntactic convergence. the poznań Society for the advancement of arts and Sciences, pL ISSn 0079-4740, pp. 21-52 this paper presents a descriptive study of the control structures in Kokborok, a tibeto-Burman language spoken in tripura (one of the northeastern states in India) and demonstrates the contact-induced changes in the phenomenon of control in Kokborok which resulted due to the long-term contact with Bangla (Indo-aryan), a genetically different language spoken in the state. the instances of genitive subject and the phenomenon of overt controllee in the embedded subject position in Kokborok are the cases in point. the instance of overt controllee described in this paper points to the deviation from the classic concept of pRo thereby demonstrating a property unique to the study of South asian languages.
We discuss some salient features of the syntactic features shared by South Asian lamguages. For... more We discuss some salient features of the syntactic features shared by South Asian lamguages. For an indepth account of the various syntactic aspects of
South Asian lamguages, see Subbarao, Karumuri V. South Asian lamguages: A Syntactic Typology, 2012, Cambridge:New York, New Delhi:Cambridge University Press.
Studies in South Asian, historical and Endo-European linguistics, 2013
Various aspects of the agreement in Hma, a Kuki-Chin language of the Tibeto-Burman language are d... more Various aspects of the agreement in Hma, a Kuki-Chin language of the Tibeto-Burman language are discussed. We discuss Postposition Incorporation that enhances the valence of the host predicate that incorporates the postposition, Long-Distance Agreement, the intrinsic link between Case and agreement, Pronominal Strength Hierarchy in agreement in Hmar , etc.
Agreement in South Asian Languages and Minimalist Inquiries: The Framework
The Yearbook of South Asian Languages and Linguistics (2001), 2001
Page 1. Agreement in South Asian Languages and Minimalist Inquiries: The Framework KARUMURI VEN... more Page 1. Agreement in South Asian Languages and Minimalist Inquiries: The Framework KARUMURI VENKATA SUBBARAO* · ... Thanks are due to Ms. Grace Temsen for her valuable help in word processing. Page 2. 458 · Karumuri Venkata Subbarao framework (MI hereafter). ...
Lexical anaphors and pronouns in Mizo
Lexical Anaphors and Pronouns in Selected South Asian Languages:, 2000
Mizo is the official language of Mizoram, located in the northeastern part of India. It belongs t... more Mizo is the official language of Mizoram, located in the northeastern part of India. It belongs to the Kuki-Chin group of the Tibeto-Burman language family. Mizo is a split ergative language in person. The verb thus agrees with the first- and second-person pronominal object, but not with the third-person pro-nominal object. Mizo like many other Kuki-Chin languages has an optional nominal anaphor and an obligatory monomorphemic verbal anaphor. In this paper we discuss the nature of pronouns, the nominal anaphors and the verbal anaphor, long-distance binding and several other issues related to Binding in Mizo.
Research in Parts-of-Speech (POS) tagset design for European and East Asian languages started wit... more Research in Parts-of-Speech (POS) tagset design for European and East Asian languages started with a mere listing of important morphosyntactic features in one language and has matured in later years towards hierarchical tagsets, decomposable tags, common framework for multiple languages (EAGLES) etc. Several tagsets have been developed in these languages along with large amount of annotated data for furthering research. Indian Languages (ILs) present a contrasting picture with very little research in tagset design issues. We present our work in designing a common POS-tagset framework for ILs, which is the result of in-depth analysis of eight languages from two major families, viz. Indo-Aryan and Dravidian. Our framework follows hierarchical tagset layout similar to the EAGLES guidelines, but with significant changes as needed for the ILs.
Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, 2021
Munda languages (Santali, Ho, and Mundari) in which the Subject Agreement Marker (SAM) in oblique... more Munda languages (Santali, Ho, and Mundari) in which the Subject Agreement Marker (SAM) in oblique object constructions occurs not in its canonical position, rather it occurs in the position earmarked for object agreement, in spite of the fact that the predicate may be [-transitive]. We label this phenomenon as Agreement Reversal.
We argue that, with one exception, such reversal takes place not due to syntactic principles governing agreement alone, but due to thematic/ functional criteria because of which the nature of the predicate in a non-nominative subject construction triggers such reversal.
Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Cambridge. U.K., 2021
In this paper we wish to discuss a very unique and robust phenomenon concerning agreement reversa... more In this paper we wish to discuss a very unique and robust phenomenon concerning agreement reversal in North Munda languages (Santali, Ho, and Mundari) in which the Subject Agreement Marker (SAM) in oblique object constructions occurs not in its canonical position, rather it occurs in the position earmarked for object agreement, in spite of the fact that the predicate may be [-transitive]. We label this phenomenon as Agreement Reversal. We argue that Agreement Reversal is the manifestation of non-nominative subjects (NNSs) in these languages.
We argue that, with one exception, such reversal takes place not due to syntactic principles governing agreement alone, but due to thematic/ functional criteria because of which the nature of the predicate in a non-nominative subject construction triggers such reversal. We hope to show that agreement, which is generally viewed in terms of syntactic principles governing constituent structure and analyzed in terms of hierarchical structures invoking the notion of c-command, may not be adequate to account for agreement reversal in the North Munda languages. In support of our hypothesis concerning the primacy of thematic/functional criteria, we present evidence concerning kinship constructions in which agreement reversal does not take place in one set of sentences. We’ll show that when the possessor in kinship is case-marked by the genitive, agreement reversal takes place indicating that syntactic criteria too play a vital role. This, we argue, demonstrates that agreement in the North Munda languages can be accounted for by invoking syntactic as well as thematic/ functional criteria.
Lingua Posnaniensis
This paper presents a descriptive study of the control structures in Kokborok, a Tibeto-Burman la... more This paper presents a descriptive study of the control structures in Kokborok, a Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Tripura (one of the North-Eastern states in India) and demonstrates the contact-induced changes in the phenomenon of control in Kokborok which resulted due to the long-term contact with Bangla (Indo-Aryan), a genetically different language spoken in the state. The instances of genitive subject and the phenomenon of overt controllee in the embedded subject position in Kokborok are the cases in point. The instance of overt controllee described in this paper points to the deviation from the classic concept of PRO thereby demonstrating a property unique to the study of South Asian languages.
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Papers by Karumuri V. Subbarao
This proposal has Universal Validity as the formation of an Externally-Headed Relative clause (EHRC) with the Comitative PP as Head in any human language has to meet the Thematic Eligibility Condition proposed in Subbarao (2012) in his book South Asian Languages: A Syntactic Typology, CUP.
South Asian lamguages, see Subbarao, Karumuri V. South Asian lamguages: A Syntactic Typology, 2012, Cambridge:New York, New Delhi:Cambridge University Press.
We argue that, with one exception, such reversal takes place not due to syntactic principles governing agreement alone, but due to thematic/ functional criteria because of which the nature of the predicate in a non-nominative subject construction triggers such reversal.
We argue that, with one exception, such reversal takes place not due to syntactic principles governing agreement alone, but due to thematic/ functional criteria because of which the nature of the predicate in a non-nominative subject construction triggers such reversal. We hope to show that agreement, which is generally viewed in terms of syntactic principles governing constituent structure and analyzed in terms of hierarchical structures invoking the notion of c-command, may not be adequate to account for agreement reversal in the North Munda languages. In support of our hypothesis concerning the primacy of thematic/functional criteria, we present evidence concerning kinship constructions in which agreement reversal does not take place in one set of sentences. We’ll show that when the possessor in kinship is case-marked by the genitive, agreement reversal takes place indicating that syntactic criteria too play a vital role. This, we argue, demonstrates that agreement in the North Munda languages can be accounted for by invoking syntactic as well as thematic/ functional criteria.