A Grammar of Paluai : : The Language of Baluan Island, Papua New Guinea / / Dineke Schokkin.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter DG Ebook Package English 2020
• VerfasserIn: Schokkin, Dineke,
• Place / Publishing House: Berlin ;, Boston : : De Gruyter Mouton, , [2020]; ©2020
• Year of Publication: 2020
• Language: English
• Series: Pacific Linguistics [PL] , 663
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (XXV, 434 p.)

This is the first comprehensive description of Paluai, an Oceanic Austronesian language spoken on Baluan Island in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea. Based on extensive field research, the grammar covers all linguistic levels, including phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics, while paying particular attention to pragmatics and discourse practices. This is the first comprehensive description of Paluai, a language from the underdescribed Admiralties subgroup, a first-order branch of Oceanic (Austronesian). Paluai is spoken on Baluan Island in Manus Province, Papua New Guinea, by two to three thousand people. The grammar is based on extensive field research by the author and covers all linguistic levels. After a general introduction of its socio-cultural context, the language's phonology is discussed, followed by two chapters on its parts of speech, divided by open and closed word classes. Following chapters address topics such as the structure of the noun phrase, verbal and non-verbal clauses, grammatical relations, serial verb constructions, mood, negation and clause combining. The final chapter provides an in-depth discussion of pragmatics and discourse practices relevant to Paluai, illustrated through two narrative texts that are included integrally at the end of the book. This grammar is of interest to scholars working on Austronesian languages, particularly those of the New Guinea region, and those working on linguistic typology. It is also relevant to those interested in the history, languages and cultures of this region more generally.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Conventions and abbreviations -- 1. The language and its context -- 2. Phonology -- 3. Word classes I: open classes -- 4. Word classes II: closed classes -- 5. The noun phrase -- 6. Predicates I: verbal predicates -- 7. Predicates II: non-verbal and copula predicates -- 8. Grammatical relations and valency -- 9. Serial verb constructions -- 10. Speech act distinctions and polarity -- 11. Clausal relations and clause combining -- 12. Pragmatics and discourse practices -- Appendix I. Recordings metadata -- Appendix II. Texts -- References -- Subject Index -- Author Index