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Description:
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Athapaskan languages are well known for their intricate morphology, in
particular the complexity of their verbs. The significance of these
languages for linguistic theory is widely acknowledged. In this book, Keren
Rice offers a rich typological survey of morpheme ordering in Athapaskan
verbs, with implications for both synchronic grammar and language change.
She shows that verb structure is in fact widely predictable across
Athapaskan languages if appropriate syntactic factors and an overarching
principle of semantic scope are taken into account. The presentation also
includes a detailed study of argument and aspectual systems. This landmark
volume is the first major comparative study of its type for the Athapaskan
language family, combining descriptive depth with a contemporary
theoretical perspective. Clear and insightful, it will be welcomed by
Athapaskanists, typologists, historical and theoretical linguists
alike.Contents:
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