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Definite Markers, Phi Features and Agreement - Georgetown ...

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Arabic), an ‘emphatic’ series of phonemes (realized as ejectives in Amharic), <strong>and</strong> a basicopposition between imperfective <strong>and</strong> perfective aspect in the verbal system. However, Amharichas been influenced by the Cushitic languages of the surrounding area, the most striking effect ofthis being that it is predominantly head-final. For example, the unmarked word order is SOV.(2) Almaz bet-u-n ayy-ätt SOVAlmaz house-DEF-ACC see.PF-3FSAlmaz saw the house. 3Auxiliary verbs (e.g. näbbär ‘was’) follow lexical verbs (e.g., s’afä ‘write’).(3) bä-t’nt gize bä-mäk’a br y-s’f-u näbbär V > Auxin-ancient time with-reed pen 3PL-write.IMPF-3PL AUXIn ancient times, they wrote with reed pens.Leslau 1995:316Also, embedded clauses precede main clauses.3 The verb can also optionally agree with the object. In that case, the form of the verb for (2) would beayy-ätt-u see.PF-3FS-3MS.6

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