Documentation

Linglib.Fragments.Mam.ExtractionMorphology

Mam Extraction Morphology Fragment @cite{elkins-imanishi-coon-2026} #

Theory-neutral data on extraction morphology in San Juan Ostuncalco (SJO) Mam, a Mayan language spoken in the Western Highlands of Guatemala.

The Phenomenon #

When an oblique argument undergoes Ā-movement (wh-movement, focus fronting, relativization) in Mam, the optional enclitic =(y)a' may appear on the verbal complex — specifically on Voice⁰ or Dir⁰ (directional auxiliary). Its distribution is conditioned by two factors:

  1. Clause size: =(y)a' is licensed only in clauses that project Voice⁰. In infinitival complements (VP-sized, lacking Voice), =(y)a' is impossible even when an oblique has extracted (Elkins et al. §6).

  2. Extraction target: =(y)a' marks specifically oblique extraction. Subject extraction triggers Agent Focus (-a), not =(y)a'. Object extraction triggers neither (§3.1). Temporal obliques ('when') also do not trigger =(y)a' (§8.1).

Key Empirical Finding: Multiple Spellout #

In long-distance extraction through full CPs and aspectless clauses, =(y)a' can appear on BOTH the matrix and embedded predicates — one per Voice/Dir head along the successive-cyclic movement path (Table 4, §6.2).

Data Sources #

All data from @cite{elkins-imanishi-coon-2026}, "Wh-movement and oblique extraction in SJO Mam". Examples cited by section/example number.

The three clause sizes relevant for =(y)a' distribution in Mam. These correspond to different structural sizes of the verbal domain (@cite{elkins-imanishi-coon-2026} §6.1, following @cite{coon-2019} and @cite{elkins-imanishi-coon-2026}):

  • fullCP: Full finite clause with aspect — projects Voice
  • aspectless: VoiceP-sized complement (no aspect) — projects Voice
  • infinitival: VP-sized complement — does NOT project Voice
  • fullCP : MamClauseType

    Full finite clause with aspect marking. Projects the full verbal spine including Voice. =(y)a' licensed on oblique extraction.

  • aspectless : MamClauseType

    VoiceP-sized complement: lacks aspect but projects Voice. =(y)a' licensed on oblique extraction (Elkins et al. §6.1, following @cite{elkins-imanishi-coon-2026}).

  • infinitival : MamClauseType

    VP-sized infinitival complement: no Voice projected. =(y)a' impossible — no Voice⁰ to host [oblique] (Elkins et al. §6.1).

Instances For
    Equations
    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
    Instances For

      Judgment on the status of =(y)a' in a given configuration. Note: =(y)a' is an optional enclitic. licensed means =(y)a' may grammatically appear; blocked means it may not. The optionality of =(y)a' when licensed is orthogonal to its distributional constraints.

      Instances For
        Equations
        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
        Instances For

          A monoclausal extraction data point: a clause type, what is extracted, and whether =(y)a' is licensed.

          • label : String

            Descriptive label

          • reference : String

            Section/example reference in @cite{elkins-imanishi-coon-2026}

          • clauseType : MamClauseType

            Type of clause

          • obliqueExtracted : Bool

            Is an oblique being extracted?

          • isTemporal : Bool

            Is the extracted oblique temporal ('when')? Temporal obliques do not trigger =(y)a' even when they are genuinely oblique and genuinely extracted (§8.1, ex. 56). This is currently unexplained — the paper notes it as an open question: "we leave an account of this for future work" (§8.1). We encode the exemption honestly rather than hiding it by setting obliqueExtracted := false for temporals.

          • Judgment on =(y)a'

          Instances For
            Equations
            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
            Instances For

              Transitive clause, oblique extraction: =(y)a' licensed. "Where did the man buy the tortillas?" — =(y)a' on Dir⁰. Elkins et al. §3.1, ex. (8).

              Equations
              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
              Instances For

                Transitive clause, subject extraction: =(y)a' blocked. "Who bought the tortillas?" — Agent Focus (-a) instead, no =(y)a'. Elkins et al. §3.1, ex. (6).

                Equations
                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                Instances For

                  Transitive clause, object extraction: =(y)a' blocked. "What did the man buy?" — no =(y)a'. Elkins et al. §3.1, ex. (7).

                  Equations
                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                  Instances For

                    Passive clause, oblique extraction: =(y)a' licensed. "Where were the tortillas bought?" — =(y)a' appears even without agent. Elkins et al. §4.1, ex. (17)–(18).

                    Equations
                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                    Instances For

                      Temporal oblique extraction: =(y)a' BLOCKED. "When" (b'iix taq) does not trigger =(y)a', unlike spatial and other obliques. Elkins et al. §8.1, ex. (56).

                      Note: temporal obliques ARE obliques and ARE extracted — we encode this honestly with obliqueExtracted := true, isTemporal := true rather than pretending they're not obliques. The exemption is unexplained; the paper notes: "we leave an account of this for future work" (§8.1).

                      Equations
                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                      Instances For

                        All monoclausal extraction data points.

                        Equations
                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                        Instances For

                          A long-distance extraction data point: tracks =(y)a' status on both the matrix and embedded predicates independently. This captures the paper's central empirical finding (Table 4, §6.2): =(y)a' can appear on BOTH predicates along the successive-cyclic movement path.

                          Instances For
                            Equations
                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                            Instances For

                              Long-distance extraction from full CP: =(y)a' licensed on BOTH matrix and embedded predicates. Table 4, Row 1; §6.2, ex. (39)–(40).

                              Equations
                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                              Instances For

                                Long-distance extraction from aspectless clause: =(y)a' licensed on BOTH. Table 4, Row 2; §6.2.

                                Equations
                                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                Instances For

                                  Long-distance extraction from infinitival: =(y)a' licensed on matrix but BLOCKED on embedded. Table 4, Row 3; §6.2, ex. (45)–(46).

                                  Equations
                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                  Instances For

                                    Embedded question (1-step extraction): =(y)a' BLOCKED on matrix, licensed on embedded. Table 4, Row 4; §4.2, ex. (25)–(26).

                                    Equations
                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                    Instances For

                                      Core generalization (monoclausal): =(y)a' is licensed iff the clause projects Voice AND a non-temporal oblique is extracted.

                                      The !d.isTemporal conjunct is a stipulation — the paper does not explain why temporal obliques are exempt (§8.1). It is separated out as a distinct condition rather than hidden in obliqueExtracted.

                                      Multiple spellout: in long-distance extraction, =(y)a' is licensed on each predicate whose clause projects Voice. Matrix clause always projects Voice (it's a full CP).

                                      Temporal obliques are genuine obliques that undergo genuine extraction, but are exempt from =(y)a' marking. This is an open question.

                                      A morphological reflex of syntactic Ā-movement inherits movement's locality properties. Since Ā-movement is phase-bounded (Phase Impenetrability Condition; Phase.lean), any morpheme that requires movement through a probe's specifier is island-sensitive.

                                      This replaces a stipulated Bool with a derivation from two independent properties:

                                      1. The morpheme requires Ā-movement (established by the Agree analysis)
                                      2. Movement is phase-bounded (from PIC)

                                      References:

                                      • @cite{chomsky-2000} on PIC
                                      • @cite{elkins-imanishi-coon-2026} §7.1 on =(y)a' island sensitivity
                                      • requiresMovement : Bool

                                        The morpheme is a spellout of features valued via Agree with a constituent that has undergone Ā-movement through the probe's specifier. Established by the Agree analysis in §5.

                                      • movementPhaseBounded : Bool

                                        Movement is bounded by phases (PIC; Phase.lean). Islands are configurations where the phase edge is unavailable, blocking successive-cyclic movement.

                                      Instances For
                                        Equations
                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                        Instances For
                                          Equations
                                          Instances For
                                            Equations
                                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                            Instances For

                                              Island sensitivity is derived: a movement reflex is island-sensitive iff the morpheme requires movement AND movement is phase-bounded. No movement → no Agree → no spellout.

                                              Equations
                                              Instances For

                                                =(y)a' is a movement reflex: it requires Ā-movement of the oblique through Spec,VoiceP (so Voice can Agree [uOblique]), and movement is phase-bounded (PIC).

                                                Equations
                                                Instances For

                                                  Island sensitivity of =(y)a' follows from its being a movement reflex. Derived from requiresMovementmovementPhaseBounded, not stipulated.

                                                  Equations
                                                  Instances For

                                                    Proof that the derivation yields island sensitivity.

                                                    =(y)a' co-occurs with passive voice morphology (-njtz). This is encoded as empirical data: passiveOblExtraction.judgment =.licensed. The co-occurrence is derivable from VoiceHead field independence: passive -njtz is conditioned by VoiceFlavor, while =(y)a' is conditioned by features ([+oblique]). These are independent fields in VoiceHead, so changing the flavor does not affect the features. See MinimalismOblExtraction.eqya_not_agent_focus for the structural derivation. Elkins et al. §7.2, ex. (53)–(54).

                                                    Mam extraction profile: dedicated morpheme strategy, marks oblique only. Excludes temporal obliques (§8.1).

                                                    Equations
                                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                    Instances For