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DTEND;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260516T131000Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260516T121000Z
DTSTAMP;VALUE=DATE-TIME:20260420T131728Z
UID:34da2aa7-5c61-4fce-9851-d261de238a38@talks.stuts.de
DESCRIPTION:This presentation provides an insight into the interplay of c
 ore case marking and information structure in Thadou\, a Trans-Himalayan
  language of Northeast India. At first glance\, the use of the ergative 
 marker in Thadou seems to be more (though not entirely) obligatory than 
 in other Trans-Himalayan languages. However\, it is shown that nonethele
 ss ergativity in Thadou behaves closer to systems of ergativity in relat
 ed languages than to those found in languages with more canonical system
 s of ergativity based on grammatical relations. These languages exhibit 
 what is often referred to as ‘optional ergativity’ which is guided by va
 rious factors often related to the realm of discourse-pragmatics and inf
 ormation structure. The occurrence of the marker in Thadou too is condit
 ioned by discourse-pragmatic factors. In the data used\, switches in ref
 erents\, contrastive functions\, and the marking of direct speech could 
 be identified as the primary environments. Furthermore\, it is argued th
 at the often seemingly more obligatory system of ergativity in Thadou\, 
 and South Central languages in general\, stands in indirect relationship
  with their shared innovation of person cross-reference on the verb\, wh
 ich pattern accusatively and might have reduced the environments in whic
 h free pronouns and noun phrases\, which act as host for the ergative\, 
 can occur.
URL:programm.stuts79.de/events/1524.html
SUMMARY:From optional to ... optional? Case marking and information struc
 ture in Thadou (Trans-Himalayan)
ORGANIZER:stuts79
LOCATION:stuts79 - DOR 24 1.102
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