Adverbial and Argument-Doubling Clauses in Cree - MSpace

cân kiskènimêw tânitê mêrîwa ê-itohtêmit.
John-3 knows- TA-(3-3') where Mary-3' cj-go .AI-3'
'John(prox) knows where Mary(obv) went. '
cân kiskênimêw awêniwa ê-sipwêhtênit.
John-3 knows . TA-(3-3') who-3' cj-1eave.AI-3'
' John(prox) knows who(obv) is leaving. '
The faa that proximate shifts are not allowed between an A-doubling clause and the
matrix verb shows us two things:
i) A-doubling clauses are different fiom adverbial clauses;
ii) A-doubling clauses have a syntactic relationship to the matrix clause that
requires the obviation features of the participants to remain unchanged.
This provides more support for an analysis where the A-doubling clause has a
tighter syntactic link to the matnx verb than an adverbial clause. In chapter 5. we will
examine how this linkage occurs.
4.4 Concliision
Obviation, then, appears to be subject to another syntactic restriction. Aside from a limit
of one proximate referent per clause, the obligatory obviative status for nouns possessed
by a third person, and the maintenance of obviation status between relative clauses and
their heads, there is a restriction on the re-assignment of proximate status between clauses.
Only certain types of clausal relations permit a proximate shift. Specifically, they can only
occur between an adverbial clause and the matrix clause. A-doubling clauses must
maintain the proximate reference assigned in the main clause verb.