LINGUIST List 10.1784

Tue Nov 23 1999

Qs: Core lexical items, Comitative

Editor for this issue: Jody Huellmantel <jodylinguistlist.org>

Directory

1. Jenny KAPPEL, Test for common core lexical items
2. Timur Maisak, Comitative

Dear linguists,

I am currently working on a Ph.D on the concept of formality, and I
am looking for a test that can be used to define core lexical items.

Has anyone ever come across a list of criteria which can be applied
to test whether a lexical item is common core or not? I am certain that I
have come across such a test before but so far I have been unable to find
it again, and I would therefore greatly appreciate it if anyone could
supply me with a reference.

Many thanks in advance,

Jenny Kappel

Jenny KAPPEL
Assistent Engelse Taalkunde
Germaanse Talen
Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Pleinlaan, 2
1050 Brussel
Tel: +32.2.629.26.64
Fax: +32.2.629.36.84



Status: RO

Dear colleagues!

I have come accross a strange comitative-like marker in one of the
Nakh-Dagestanian languages. By comitative I mean a (nominal) meaning
'together with', usually expressed by a special case or an adposition.

Are there any works concerning the grammaticalization of comitative?
What are the possible diachronic sources of comitative markers? 
Are there typological works investigating the range of meanings which
comitative markers (cases, adpositions) usually have?
Does anyone know examples when a comitative marker appeared as a result of
reanalysis of a clause dependency marker? 
Has anyone come accross a "transcategorial" use of a comitative marker
when it can occur with verbal forms, not only with nouns?

Thanks in advance for any information,

Timur Maisak

Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics
Moscow State University