Date Thesis Awarded
4-1996
Access Type
Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only
Degree Name
Bachelors of Arts (BA)
Department
Linguistics
Advisor
Jack Martin
Committee Members
Ann M. Reed
Brad Weiss
Abstract
This paper is a description of causative constructions in Mikasuki; it has been written to supplement the few existing descriptions of Mikasuki causatives, which are limited in detail or argument. Derrick-Mescua (1975) analyzes the Mikasuki causative in comparison with two other languages and according to two linguistic theories, Fillmorean case grammar and Chafe' s semantic analysis. Her account, as she herself concludes, is hindered by the English language bias inherent in those theories. That is, the theories account for English nicely, but it is difficult to apply their principles to other languages. Boynton (1982) offers a very brief description ofMikasuki causatives. Her account incorrectly asserts that only intransitive verbs may be causativized in Mikasuki, and it neglects to mention the changes in agreement that accompany causativization.
The research for this study was conducted primarily over two weeks at the Brighton and Big Cypress reservations of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. I worked with several informants from each reservation, under the supervision of my professor and advisor, Jack Martin. I prepared for this field work by writing two short papers on Mikasuki person-marking and causatives using Derrick-Mescua (1975) and Boynton (1982) as sources.
This paper has three main divisions besides this background, section 1, and the summary in section 5. Section 2 is an overview of Mikasuki grammar, covering elements of phonology, morphology, and syntax. In section 3, the causative suffix -:c(i) is described, first according to Comrie's typological parameters, with additional sections on phonology and morphology, syntax, and semantics. Section 4 describes how the causative voice interacts with the middle and active voices.
Recommended Citation
Coon, Marcy, "The Causative Voice in Mikasuki" (1996). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 1744.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/1744
