The nominal classifiers of the Mamaindê language

Abstract

This paper describes the system of noun classifiers found in the Mamaindê language of west-central Brazil. Mamaindê is a member of the Guapore sub-group of the northern branch of the Nambikwara language family. It displays a highly polysynthetic character, visible within both nouns and verbs, with the noun classifier being an example par excellence of its rich morphology. After a brief description of the language community and broader linguistic family, the paper outlines the three functions of the Mamaindê noun classifiers: nominal modifiers, anaphoric substitutes, and verbal nominalizers. A full list of all the Mamaindê noun classifiers is given, with examples of each function provided, highlighting the productive nature of this morphological class. In the last section the metaphoric use of Mamaindê noun classifiers is addressed, a topic that provides a window into the semantic categories and ultimately the worldview of this language community.