[PapuanLanguages] 'do/say' verbs

[John Roberts]

In Amele (Papuan - Madang - PNG) the verbs *odoc* 'do' and *madec* 'say' 
overlap with a sense of 'make/cause' in a switch-reference construction.

ija   od-ud-ece-min               nu-i-a
1sg do-3sg.DO-DS-1sg.SU go-3sg.SU-today's past
'I made him go.'
lit. 'I did him and he went.'

ija   ma-d-oco-min                 nu-i-a
1sg say-3sg.DO-DS-1sg.SU go-3sg.SU-today's past
'I told him to go.'
lit. 'I told him and he went.'

SU = subject, DO = direct object, DS = different subject following

Some other verbs can be used in this way, e.g.

ija   cesus-d-oco-min                     nu-i-a
1sg persuade-3sg.DO-DS-1sg.SU go-3sg.SU-today's past
'I persuaded her to go.'
lit. 'I persuaded her and she went.'

ija   egul-d-oco-min                          nu-i-a
1sg encourage-3sg.DO-DS-1sg.SU go-3sg.SU-today's past
'I encouraged her to go.'
lit. 'I encouraged her and she went.'

But one verb that cannot be used in this type of causative construction 
is *mudec* 'to make'.


John Roberts

-- 
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John R Roberts
SIL International Linguistics Consultant
dr_john_roberts at sil.org
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