Uncovering variation in classifier assignment in Oceanic

A video vignettes experiment reveals variation in noun-classifier assignment in six Oceanic languages, with some showing fixed assignments similar to grammatical gender systems. North Ambrym’s system resembles a gender system, with nouns occurring with specific classifiers regardless of contextual interactions.

Abstract

We discuss the results of a video vignettes experiment that uncovers the variation of noun-classifier assignment in the possessive classifier system of six Oceanic languages. The results show that languages vary in their noun-classifier assignment, with some languages displaying relatively fixed assignment, similar to a grammatical gender system.

Motivation

In typical Oceanic possessive classifier systems, a noun can occur with different classifiers, depending on how the possessed item is used by the possessor (Lichtenberk, 1983). For example, oei ‘water’ in Vatlongos (Vanuatu) occurs with either the DRINK or the GENERAL classifier. The ability of a noun to occur with different classifiers is termed overlap.

We argue that North Ambrym’s innovative system shows some properties of a gender system: a noun occurs with a particular classifier regardless of contextual interactions. What is more, Vatlongos shows a match between the general semantics of the verb ‘wash’ and the GENERAL classifier, whereas in North Ambrym there is a mismatch between the general semantics of the verb ‘wash’ and the semantics of the DRINK classifier. We expect more gender-like systems to display more mismatches between the verb and the classifier. We ask whether gender systems can indeed emerge from classifiers in this way.

Click the download button to read further.

A Nêlêmwa speaker watching the video vignettes with project consultant Anne-Laure Dotte behind