Polonez Bis 1

Parameters - Humburi Senni

Construction type	Construction Parameter	Value	Comments

Voice marking	Proper marker	yes	A derivative in suffix -à (Heath 2014: 281). The most open-ended case is that of verbs that are basically transitive but that can omit an explicit direct object, e.g. ŋà: ‘eat’ and béy ‘know’. Many other verb stems take an overt unspecified-object derivational suffix -à in this context, but not all verbs can take this suffix (Heath 2014: 278).
Voice marking	Lookalike marker	no
Voice marking	Synthetic marker	yes	An intransitivizing verbal suffix -à with L-toned stem used both for unspecified-object and for (medio-)passive (Heath 2014: 19). (Heath 2014: 281) Many transitive verbs, including a fairly large number of bisyllabics ending in a high vowel, have a derivative in suffix -à with word-level {L} tone overlay.
Voice marking	Analytical marker	no	An intransitivizing verbal suffix -à with L-toned stem used both for unspecified-object and for (medio-)passive (Heath 2014: 19).
Flagging	S-argument flagging	no	I distinguish the following grammatical relations not expressed by adpositions: subject, preverbal direct object (of ordinary transitives), postverbal direct object (of VO verb) (...). These categories can be determined by constituent order and the nature of the predicators in the clause (Heath 2014: 255).
Flagging	P-oblique flagging	n/a
Flagging	P-oblique unflagging	n/a
Flagging	P-oblique flagging variation	n/a
Indexation	S-argument indexed	no	No pronominal subject agreement in the verb (except imperatives) (Heath 2014: 18).
Indexation	S-argument indexation conditioned	n/a
P-individuation properties	Incorporated P is generic (non-specific)	n/a
P-individuation properties	Incorporated P is indefinite (non-specific)	n/a
P-individuation properties	Incorporated P can be referential	n/a
P-individuation properties	Oblique is generic (non-specific)	n/a
P-individuation properties	Oblique is indefinite (non-specific)	n/a
P-individuation properties	Oblique can be referential	n/a
P-individuation properties	Eliminated P is generic (non-specific)	yes	Unspecified-object derivatives focus on the activity itself, either because the theme is obvious (e.g. part of a daily routine) or because the theme is indeterminate or multiple: ‘I am sweeping’, ‘the rain hit (=it rained)’, ‘I plan to build (sc. a home) in Hombori’ (Heath 2014: 282). (Heath 2014: 348) góndí-ɲòŋ [gá=ẁ námà] [gá sù wíy-à] snake-pl [rel=impf bite] [rel impf.neg kill-unspecO] ‘snakes that bite but (that) do not kill’
P-individuation properties	Eliminated P is indefinite (non-specific)	yes	Unspecified-object derivatives focus on the activity itself, either because the theme is obvious (e.g. part of a daily routine) or because the theme is indeterminate or multiple: ‘I am sweeping’, ‘the rain hit (=it rained)’, ‘I plan to build (sc. a home) in Hombori’ (Heath 2014: 282).
P-individuation properties	Eliminated P can be referential	no
Oblique affectedness	Less affected oblique	n/a
P-constraining properties	Animacy constrains oblique demotion	n/a
P-constraining properties	Person constrains oblique demotion	n/a
P-constraining properties	Number constrains oblique demotion	n/a