Re: Uto-Aztecan [was: What is an IE language]

At 8:34 PM +0000 12/21/02, And Rosta wrote:
>Dirk:
>> * stem suppletion: In almost every UA language, there are a few verbs
>> which are suppletive for number. Suppletion is sensitive to the
>> number of the subject for transitive verbs, and to the number of the
>> direct object for transitive verbs. Here are some examples from Shoshoni:
>>
>> sing    dual        plural
>> kat1    y1k_wi      y1k_wikka  'sit'
>> w1n1    tacakkihka  topoihka   'lie'
>> paikka  was1        was1       'kill'
>> uttu    himi        himi       'give'
>> yaa     hima        hima       'take'
>>
>> What makes this suppletion so unusual is that it follows an
>> ergative/absolutive pattern, although UA has a definite
>> nominative/accusative case alignment
>
>What (to the best of our knowledge) is the historical explanation for
>all this?
I'm embarassed to say that I have no idea. It is definitely a property of
Proto-Uto-Aztecan, though, since it is found in every major branch of the
family.

Dirk
--
Dirk Elzinga                                               Dirk_Elzinga@byu.edu

"It is important not to let one's aesthetics interfere with the appreciation of
fact." - Stephen Anderson