Adverbial and Argument-Doubling Clauses in Cree - MSpace

There is no difference in the verbal morphology of the transitive mat& vab when
it occurs with an A-doubling NP or an A-doubling clause.lg Examples (40) and (41) show
cornparisons of the matrix verb with an A-doubling NP and A-doubling clause. for TI and
TA verbs respectively. This suggests that the verb assigns its argument roles identically in
each case. Theta roles (argument status) are assigned to the pronominals within the verbal
cornplex, regardless of what else occurs in the sentence.
(40) a. wâpaht- rnihkoh.
see. TI-(3-in) b1ood.M
'She saw some blood. '
b. wâpahtm Eh-misatirnositêyit.
see. TL(3 +an) cj-horse. foot . AI-3'
'he (prox) saw that he (obv) had horses' feet.'
(4 1) a. kîtahtawê wâpamh mahihicanah pêyak.
presently see.TA-(-) wolf-3' one
'Presently he saw a wolf '
b. êkosi wâpamh êh-otinarniyit dkrhikrn.
then see. TAo(3-3') cj-take. TI-(3'4nan) axeM
'He saw her take an axe.' (P: 70-05)
The fact that transitive verbs display identical verbal morphology when they are
linked to either A-doubling NPs or clauses, provides an opportunity for a test to show that
A-doubling clauses are situated in nofiargument positions. We have already seen that
because A-doubling NPs do not occupy argument positions, they must be licensed by
being CO-indexed with a pronominal argument in the verb. Correspondingly, if my daim
- - -
19
We shall see that this is relevant to the analysis presented in chaptcr 5.