Nominal incorporation and lexical aspect in Tenetehára (Tupí-Guaraní))

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the mechanism of Noun Incorporation in the Tenetehára language and its relationship with the aspectual classes proposed by Vendler (1967). In that language, the Noun Incorporation mechanism occurs through two different morphosyntactic contexts: (i) total incorporation of the object into v^o and (ii) incorporation of the genitive phrase head into the v^o. In total incorporation, when the direct object is incorporated into the verbal predicate, a predicate that behaves like an intransitive verb is generated. However, in possessor stranding constructions, only part of the genitive phrase, namely its heads, can be incorporated into the head of the vP. The result of this process does not change the initial transitive structure. Thus, in possessor stranding constructions there is no decrease in valence, despite the Noun Incorporation. Furthermore, in relation to the semantic plane of this constructions, what I have observed is that speakers of that language tend to point out two distinct interpretations, one for the version without Incorporation and another interpretation for the version with Noun Incorporation. Thus, in this article, I intend to answer which constant organization can be inferred from the presented interpretation paradigm. The hypothesis regarding the differences in interpretation between these specific data has to do with the notion of verbal aspect and the definitions of accomplishment and achievement outlined by Vendler (1967). In this sense, my hypothesis is that constructions without Noun Incorporation can conform to the semantic class of verbal predicates of accomplishment, whereas versions with Nominal Incorporation in possessor stranding contexts obligatorily include achievement predicates.