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Spatial inflection and memory for direction in Acazulco Otomí

Spatial inflection and memory for direction in Acazulco Otomí AbstractMany languages have developed a specialized tool for coding spatial background aspects of events: associated motion morphology. This sparsely investigated verb inflection allows speakers to specify that the situation described by a verb takes place against the background of a motion event, as in “sing (while coming)”. Associated-motion systems typically include deictic information, and when verb inflection requires distinctions between motion in different directions, a thinking-for-speaking account would predict cognitive consequences in the shape of heightened memory for direction. To evaluate this hypothesis, we compare encoding of and memory for direction in an endangered Otopamean language, Acazulco Otomí (Mexico). First, we examine diversity and frequency in the use of associated-motion inflection in pilgrim narratives. Then, we investigate the potential cognitive correlates with a psycholinguistic recognition-memory experiment measuring change-detection performance. Linguistic encoding of background direction was found to support memory for direction, but the sample size was small, and the experiment further indicated that both the associated-motion inflection and its corresponding attention patterns are in a process of dissolution. This echoes findings in Arrernte and Mojeño Trinitario, and we discuss why associated motion might be an especially vulnerable category in language-endangerment contexts. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Acta Linguistica Hafniensia: International Taylor & Francis

Spatial inflection and memory for direction in Acazulco Otomí

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Spatial inflection and memory for direction in Acazulco Otomí

Abstract

AbstractMany languages have developed a specialized tool for coding spatial background aspects of events: associated motion morphology. This sparsely investigated verb inflection allows speakers to specify that the situation described by a verb takes place against the background of a motion event, as in “sing (while coming)”. Associated-motion systems typically include deictic information, and when verb inflection requires distinctions between motion in different directions, a...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© 2018 The Linguistic Circle of Copenhagen
ISSN
1949-0763
eISSN
0374-0463
DOI
10.1080/03740463.2018.1433905
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

AbstractMany languages have developed a specialized tool for coding spatial background aspects of events: associated motion morphology. This sparsely investigated verb inflection allows speakers to specify that the situation described by a verb takes place against the background of a motion event, as in “sing (while coming)”. Associated-motion systems typically include deictic information, and when verb inflection requires distinctions between motion in different directions, a thinking-for-speaking account would predict cognitive consequences in the shape of heightened memory for direction. To evaluate this hypothesis, we compare encoding of and memory for direction in an endangered Otopamean language, Acazulco Otomí (Mexico). First, we examine diversity and frequency in the use of associated-motion inflection in pilgrim narratives. Then, we investigate the potential cognitive correlates with a psycholinguistic recognition-memory experiment measuring change-detection performance. Linguistic encoding of background direction was found to support memory for direction, but the sample size was small, and the experiment further indicated that both the associated-motion inflection and its corresponding attention patterns are in a process of dissolution. This echoes findings in Arrernte and Mojeño Trinitario, and we discuss why associated motion might be an especially vulnerable category in language-endangerment contexts.

Journal

Acta Linguistica Hafniensia: International – Taylor & Francis

Published: Jul 3, 2018

Keywords: Associated-motion morphology; spatial inflection; thinking for speaking; language endangerment

References

  • Design and Statistics in Quantitative Translation (Process) Research
  • A Usage-based Theory of Grammatical Status and Grammaticalization
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  • Associated Motion in South America: Typological and Areal Perspectives
  • Morfosintaxis verbal del otomí de Acazulco
  • The Category of ‘Associated Motion’ in Kaytej
  • Semantic Typology and Spatial Conceptualization
  • Linguistic Diversity, Language Vitality and the Advancement of Linguistics as a Science
  • Associated Motion in Mojeño Trinitario: Some Typological Considerations
  • Grammatikken i baggrunden – opmærksomhed under læsning