A Description of Papiamentu

A Creole Language of the Caribbean Area

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This book constitutes a primary data-supported, comprehensive grammar of Papiamentu. It analyzes spontaneous speech data from two varieties spoken in Aruba and Curaçao. The author examines structural features so far unexplored in the areas of phonology, morphology, syntax, and aspects of sentential semantics. Particular attention is given to nominal classifiers, non-pro-drop syntactic constructions, and absolute tense marking, traits that are rarely described in regards to Creole or Romance languages. Researchers interested in formal analyses of Papiamentu, Creole languages, and in language contact will find this book an indispensable tool.
Copyright Year:
2022
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ISBN:
978-90-04-44883-4
Publication:
20 Jun 2022
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ISBN:
978-90-04-44882-7
Publication:
23 Jun 2022
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Yolanda Rivera-Castillo, Ph.D. (1994), University of California, is Professor of Linguistics and Creole Languages of the Caribbean at the University of Puerto Rico. She has published papers on Papiamentu, Limonese Creole, Haitian Creole, Sign Languages, and Caribbean Spanish. She has worked on the collection and analysis of data for several Creoles varieties and one sign language in the Caribbean region. Her work explores mainly typological phonology, segmental phonetics, metrical and prosodic phonology, the syntax-phonology interface, word order, tense, mood and aspect in Creoles, and number marking. Other interests include applications of technology to L2 teaching, and poetry.
Editorial Foreword
 Peter Bakker
Acknowledgements
List of Tables and Figures
Abbreviations

1 Introduction
 1.0 General Description and Scope of Work
 1.1 Justification
 1.2 Previous Studies of Papiamentu
 1.3 Objectives and Methodology
 1.4 Book Organization and Conclusions

2 Morphology and Grammatical Categories
 2.0 Introduction: Grammatical Categories, Inflection, and the Isolating Type
 2.1 Lexical Categories
 2.2 Productive Morphology and Allomorphs
 2.3 Conclusions

3 Syntax 1—Word Order and Combinatorial Restrictions
 3.0 Introduction
 3.1 Fixed Word Order, Verbs, and the non-Pro-Drop Parameter
 3.2 Determiner Phrase (and Noun Phrase)
 3.3 Conclusions

4 Syntax 2—Hierarchical Structure, Constituency and the Isolating Type
 4.0 Introduction
 4.1 Obligatory Subject Sentence Types and No Expletive in Impersonal Constructions
 4.2 Subordinate Clauses
 4.3 Passive Sentences
 4.4 Phrase Structure
 4.5 Conclusions
 Appendix A: Summary of Structural Types in Papiamentu

5 Segmental Features and Syllable Structure
 5.0 Segmental Features
 5.1 Syllable Structure, Consonant Clusters and Vowel Reduction
 5.2 Nasal Vowels and Nasalization
 5.3 Vowel Harmony and Metaphony
 5.4 Conclusions

6 Papiamentu Prosody: Intonation and Lexical Prominence
 (co-authored with Lucy Pickering)
 6.0 Identifying Prosodic Features
 6.1 A Typology of Stress
 6.2 A Typology of Tone
 6.3 The Papiamentu Prominence System
 6.4 Intonation in Tone Languages and Papiamentu
 6.5 Conclusions

7 Sentential Semantics
 7.0 Introduction
 7.1 The Noun Phrase: Animacy/Gender and Number
 7.2 The Verb Phrase: Tense, Mood, and Aspect
 7.3 Conclusions

8 Conclusions and Typology
 8.0 Papiamentu Structural Features
 8.1 Papiamentu Morphology and Inflection
 8.2 Middle of the Road Word Order and Syntax
 8.3 Phonology and Papiamentu
 8.4 Meaning, TMA markers, Animacy/Gender, and Number
 8.5 Innovations in Papiamentu and Creoles as a Typological Class

Glossary
References
Subject Index
Those interested in learning about Papiamentu, linguists working on Romance language varieties, Creoles, contact languages, typologists, and historical linguists will find this book valuable and innovative.
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