[PapuanLanguages] Noun/adjective polyfunctionality

[Hannah Sarvasy]

Hello all,

I am working on the grammar of Nungon, a Papuan language of the Kabwum District, Morobe Province. Certain Nungon adjectives can be possessed in the same way that Nungon nouns are possessed, and the possessed adjective then functions as a noun.

I'm wondering if anyone has any leads on literature relating to the same phenomenon in Tok Pisin--in which some adjectives, like hevi, can also function as nouns, i.e. hevi bilong mipela--or in other Papuan languages.

Many thanks for your help!

Hannah

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Hannah Sarvasy
PhD candidate, Anthropological Linguistics
James Cook University
Cairns, Australia

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Hannah Sarvasy
PhD candidate, Anthropological Linguistics
James Cook University
Cairns, Australia