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Linglib.Fragments.Chuj.VerbBuilding

Chuj Verb Building Fragment @cite{coon-2019} #

@cite{davis-1997}

Theory-neutral fragment for Chuj (Q'anjob'alan, Mayan), encoding root classification, voice morphology, paradigm grammaticality, and lexical inventory from @cite{coon-2019} "Building verbs in Chuj: Consequences for the nature of roots."

Contents #

  1. Root classes (§§1–3): four abstract Root types (√TV, √ITV, √POS, √NOM) with distributional CRootClass enum and bridge function.
  2. Voice suffixes (§§4–5): ChujVoiceSuffix (Ø, -ch, -j, -w) with external argument status, thematic properties, and morphological forms.
  3. Paradigm grammaticality (§6): which root×voice combinations are grammatical, and which roots form bare transitive stems.
  4. -aj distribution (§7): existential closure suffix distribution across voice forms and antipassive subtypes.
  5. Agent diagnostics (§8): agent-oriented adverb and by-phrase tests distinguishing -ch (implicit agent) from -j (no agent).
  6. Voice system profile (§9): four-way asymmetrical voice system.
  7. Root lexicon (§10): ChujRoot entries from Table (5) and additional examples in the paper.
  8. Verification theorems (§11): paradigm, -aj, agent diagnostic, and root classification checks.

Modeling Notes #

RootArity captures complement projection, not semantic type. Coon's semantic types (3) group {√TV, √ITV} together as ⟨e, ⟨s,t⟩⟩ — both compose with an entity argument per @cite{davis-1997}. But syntactically, only √TV projects a complement DP that persists across voice alternations; √ITV's entity argument becomes the subject. Our RootArity.selectsTheme captures the syntactic complement projection, giving {√TV} vs {√ITV, √POS, √NOM}. This matches the -aj diagnostic: -aj marks implicit arguments, and only √TV stems show -aj (the theme can be implicit), not √ITV.

√TV root (PC): selects theme, no entailed change-of-state. Semantic type ⟨e, ⟨s,t⟩⟩ (@cite{coon-2019}, (3)). Examples: mak' "hit", tek' "kick".

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    √TV root (result): selects theme, entails change-of-state. Semantic type ⟨e, ⟨s,t⟩⟩ (@cite{coon-2019}, (3)). Examples: jatz' "hit (breaking)", tzak' "wrap".

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      √ITV root: semantic type ⟨e, ⟨s,t⟩⟩ (same as √TV per @cite{davis-1997}), but does NOT project a complement — the entity argument becomes the subject. The class is morphologically defined: roots that appear with null v/Voice⁰ in intransitive stems (p. 40). Examples: way "sleep", ok' "cry", jaw "arrive", b'at "go".

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        √POS root: positional/stative. Semantic type ⟨e, ⟨s,d⟩⟩ — a measure function, not a truth-value predicate. Examples: chot "sit", kot "on all fours", watz "lie face down".

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          √NOM root: nominal base. Semantic type ⟨e,t⟩ — entity predicate with no event argument (@cite{coon-2019}, (3)). Examples: a' "water", ixim "corn", chanhal "dance".

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            The four morphosyntactic root classes in Chuj, identified by surface distribution (which suffixes they combine with, whether they form bare transitive stems). Labels follow Coon's notation.

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                Map an abstract Root to the distributional CRootClass. The bridge is determined by (arity × denotationType).

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                  The four voice suffixes in Chuj (ex. (78), pp. 75–76).

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                      Status of the external argument for each voice form.

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                          Whether the voice suffix assigns a thematic role to an external argument (observed via agent-oriented adverb diagnostics, §4.1–4.2).

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                            Whether a root class can combine with a voice suffix to form a grammatical verb stem.

                            Based on the distributional facts in §§2–5:

                            • √TV: all four voices (Ø, -ch, -j, -w) — ex. (78)
                            • √ITV: null v only (§2.1, p. 40)
                            • √POS: -w only (§2.4, p. 43)
                            • √NOM: -w only (§3.1, p. 46)
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                              √TV is the only class that forms bare transitive stems (§2.2, p. 41).

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                                Whether -aj (existential closure) appears on a √TV stem in each voice form (ex. (78), pp. 75–76; §4.2, p. 72).

                                -aj marks the presence of an implicit argument:

                                • Ø: no implicit arg → no -aj
                                • -ch: implicit external arg → -aj on stem (§4.1.1, p. 68)
                                • -j: no external arg at all → no -aj
                                • -w (absolutive): implicit internal arg → -aj (ex. (55c), p. 65)
                                • -w (incorporation): overt bare NP internal arg → no -aj (ex. (54a), p. 64)
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                                    Agent-oriented adverb test (§4.1.1–4.1.2). "on purpose" adverbs are grammatical with -chaj but not -j.

                                    (63a) on purpose ... ix-ch'ak-chaj te' te'. 'The tree was felled on purpose.' ✓ (p. 68)

                                    (67a) *on purpose ... ix-ch'ak-j-i te' te'. intended: 'The tree was felled on purpose.' ✗ (p. 70)

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                                      By-phrase test (§4.1.1–4.1.2). Oblique agents ("yuj" DPs) are grammatical with -chaj but not -j.

                                      (62) ... yuj ... 'by them' ✓ with -chaj (p. 68) (65–66) -uj phrases with -j are causal, not agentive (pp. 69–70)

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                                        Chuj voice system: four-way asymmetrical (Ø, -w, -ch, -j).

                                        Unlike pivot systems (Toba Batak, Tagalog), Chuj voices don't promote arguments to a privileged position. Instead, Voice controls whether an external argument is overt, implicit, or absent. Each voice form is built independently from root + v/Voice⁰: passive is not derived from active.

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                                          Chuj is NOT a simple active/passive: it has 4 voices, not 2.

                                          A Chuj root entry from the paper's lexicon.

                                          • form : String

                                            Chuj root form

                                          • gloss : String

                                            English gloss

                                          • root : Root

                                            Abstract root class

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