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[aboriconlangs] Greenlandic: 4th Person?

From:Henrik Theiling <theiling@...>
Date:Friday, September 5, 2008, 15:18
Hi!

To answer your question:

eldin_raigmore writes:
> a. > Ippasaq tikip-put aqagu-lu ikinnguta-at tiki-ssa-pput. > yesterday arrive-IND.3p tomorrow-and friends-3p arrive-FUT-IND.3p > "They arrived yesterday and their friends will arrive tomorrow."
3rd person possessive here refers to the previous clause's subject, not to the subject of the clause it is in.
> b. > Isir-puq ingil-lu-ni-lu. > com.in-IND.3s sit.down-CTMP-4s-and > "She came in and sat down."
4th person subject here refers reflexively (long-distance reflexive) to the previous clause, coindexing the subjects (note the ellipsis in English).
> c. > Pilirtuttumik irrui-vuq ini-mi-nul-lu majuar-lu-ni. > quickly wash.up-IND.3s room-4s.REFL-ALL-and go.up-CTMP-4s > "He washed up quickly and went up to his room."
4th person subject: long-distance reflexive to previous clause (again: ellipsis in English), 4th persion possessive: normal reflexive to subject of second clause.
> (1) Why are these fourth person?
Reflexives. Both long-distance (as subject verb ending) and normal (as possessive). **Henrik