The Syntax of Mauritian Creole

Description

Creole languages have in recent years become a valuable source of data for current theories of syntax and theories of child/adult language acquisition. However, grammars of these languages, particularly those couched within theoretical frameworks of one kind of another, are few and far between. This book contributes directly to creole linguistics by providing a detailed study of different aspects of the syntax of Mauritian creole within the theoretical framework of Principles and Parameters (Chomsky, 1981) and Minimalism (1995). It gives the reader a detailed account of the structure of this language and insight into the nature of creole languages, with implications for current cartographic and minimalist thinking on the structure and derivation of phrases and clauses. It will appeal to researchers of grammar and syntax, language acquisition, contact linguistics and sociolinguistics. Cover HalfTitle Series Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations List of Symbols 1 Introduction 1.0 Aim 1.1 Scope and structure 1.2 The theoretical framework 1.3 Development of MC 1.4 Some general features of MC 2 Structure of Clauses 2.0 Introduction 2.1 The basic (full) clause in MC 2.2 Subjectless clauses 2.3 Objectless clauses 2.4 Verbless main clauses 2.5 Summary 3 Structure of Noun Phrases 3.0 Introduction 3.1 Nouns in MC 3.2 Determinerless (bare) nouns 3.3 Determiner nouns (pre- and postdeterminers) 3.4 The internal structure of the NP in MC 3.5 Summary 4 Tense, Mood and Aspect 4.0 Introduction 4.1 TMA markers 4.2 Modals and TMA markers 4.3 Modals and negation 4.4 Modals as verbs or auxiliaries? 4.5 TMA markers and clause structure 4.6 Ordering TMA markers and modal verbs 4.7 Summary 5 Negation and Negative Concord 5.0 Introduction 5.1 Distribution of the negative marker 5.2 Status of ‘pa’ and structure of negative constructions 5.3 Structure of negative constructions 5.4 N-words and NC 5.5 Approaches to NC 5.6 A minimalist account of N-words and NC in MC 5.7 Summary 6 Verb Complementation and Structure of Verbs 6.0 Introduction 6.1 A typology of verbs in MC 6.2 Long and short form of verbs 6.3 DOCs and DCCs 6.4 Control verbs and control complements 6.5 Complements of ECM verbs 6.6 Small clause complements 6.7 Complements of perception verbs 6.8 Serial verb constructions 6.9 Summary 7 Wh-Movement and Structure of Complementizer Phrases 7.0 Introduction 7.1 Wh-phrases in MC 7.2 Wh-questions and wh-movement in MC: A minimalist account 7.3 Locality 7.4 Summary Notes Bibliography Index