Ergativity [Paperback]

This book provides a full survey of the various types of ergativity, looking at the ways they interrelate, their semantic bases and their role in the organisation of discourse.Although there is only one ergative language in Europe (Basque), perhaps one-quarter of the world's languages show ergative properties. This survey of the various types looks at the ways they interrelate, their semantic bases and their role in the organization of discourse.Although there is only one ergative language in Europe (Basque), perhaps one-quarter of the world's languages show ergative properties. This survey of the various types looks at the ways they interrelate, their semantic bases and their role in the organization of discourse.Although there is only one ergative language in Europe (Basque), perhaps one-quarter of the world's languages show ergative properties. R.M.W. Dixon here provides a full survey of the various types of ergativity, looking at the ways they interrelate, their semantic bases and their role in the organization of discourse. Comprehensive, clear, insightful, and illustrated by data from a wide variety of the world's languages, Ergativity will be the standard point of reference for all those interested in the topic.1. Introduction; 2. Syntactically-based and semantically-based marking; 3. Intra-clausal or morphological ergativity; 4. Types of split system; 5. The category of 'subject'; 6. Inter-clausal or syntactic ergativity; 7. Language change; 8. The rationale for ergativity; Appendix; A note on theoretical models; References; Indexes.'Long awaited & readers will not be disappointed. I can confidently predict that Ergativity will soon be on the reading list of many a course in morphology, syntax and typology.' Functions of Language