Word units in the Oceanic predicate complex

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Kilu von Prince
• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 531350244

The proposed project investigates word units in two Oceanic languages, Daakaka and Dalkalaen. Its focus is on the predicate, along with markers of subject and tense/aspect/modality (TAM) features. This predicate complex exhibits a particularly wide range of variation regarding the distribution of functions over word units. Specifically, the TAM marker can form a word unit either with the preceding subject marker, or with the subsequent verb root, or constitute an independent phonological word on its own. This variation is not entirely determined by the linguistic context, but partially probabilistic. The project therefore considers frequency-based preferences along contextual factors.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: New Zealand
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Eleanor Ridge