Phi-features and the Modular Architecture of - UMR 7023 - CNRS

(92) a. [DP Johni 'sD° [IP PROi not seeming ti to be tired]]
b. [CP DPk C° [IP PRO k i/j [EAi … V … Oj]]] where DPk/PROk is the pivot
The second diagnostic (89)b is cross-clausal obviation. Subjects of adjunct
clauses are obviative if the pivot of the matrix clause is a 3 rd person animate
proximate. This is reflected as the morpheme ini on the verb of the adjunct clause
in (93). The pivot is again the highest of EA, O on the 2 > 1 > 3 hierarchy in the
independent order, 3.PROX > 3.OBV in both orders. Thus in the 3EA→1O
conjunct order in (93)a, the EA is the pivot because there is no 2 > 1 > 3 PH
interaction in the conjunct. Being a 3 rd person animate proximate, it triggers crossclausal
obviation on the adjunct verb, signalled by ini. (93)b differs from (93)a by
being in the independent order. Here the 2 > 1 > 3 PH interaction is operative, as
signalled by the prefix. Therefore, the 1 st person O rather than the EA is the pivot.
Not being 3 rd person, the pivot does not trigger cross-clausal obviation; hence no
ini. For the same reasons there is no cross-clausal obviation in (93)c. The pivot is
the 1 st person EA, not the 3 rd person animate proximate O. Replacing the 1 st
person EA by a 3 rd person inanimate in (93)d lets the 3 rd person proximate animate
O win on the hierarchies 3AN > 3INAN and 3.PROX > 3.OBV. The 3 rd person
animate O then controls the adjunct's subject's obviation marked by ini. 34
(93) a. Miish naagshinig giishamid. (3→1, EA pivot in conjunct)
mii-sh naagoshi-ini-g gii-asham-i-d.
then be.evening-OBV-3INAN PAST-feed-1.O-3.SU
Then, in the evening-OBV, he fed me.
b. Naagshinig ngiishamig. (3→1, O pivot in independent)
naagoshi-*ini-g ni-gii-asham-igo.
be.evening-OBV-3INAN 1-PAST-feed-INV
In the evening-*OBV, he fed me.
c. Naagshinig ngiishamaa. (1→3, EA pivot in independent)
naagoshi-*ini-g ni-gii-asham-aa.
be.evening-OBV-3INAN 1-PAST-feed-3ANIM.O
In the evening-*OBV, I fed him.
d. Naagshinig wgiibzikaagon. (3INAN→3ANIM, O pivot in independent)
naagoshi-ini-g o-gii-bizikaw-igo-n doopwin.
be.evening-OBV-3INAN 3-PAST-strike-INV-O table
In the evening-OBV, the table fell on him.
(Rhodes 1994: 440f., pivot in bold)
Obviation is a syntactic property, both in Ojibwa where it matters for the Ban
on Inanimates (note 31), and elsewhere in Algonquian as mentioned earlier from
Bruening's (2001) work. Therefore, when PH-interaction determines obviation
34 Ini is optional when possible in these sentences, because all are also compatible with a matrix
3 rd person animate non-topic pivot which would not trigger it, as well as a topic one. This is not
relevant to the argument, which turns on the possibility of ini.
65