Some morphological parallels between Hokan languages

Mikhail Zhivlov (Russian State University for the Humanities / Russian Presidential Academy (Moscow); zhivlov@gmail.com)

Journal of Language Relationship, № 16/1-2, 2018 - p.138-161

Abstract: In this paper I present a detailed analysis of a number of morphological comparisons between the branches of the hypothetical Hokan family. The following areas are considered: 1) subject person/number markers on verbs, as well as possessor person/number markers on nouns, 2) so-called ‘lexical prefixes’ denoting instrument and manner of action on verbs, 3) plural infixes, used with both nouns and verbs, and 4) verbal directional suffixes "hither" and "thither". It is shown that the respective morphological parallels can be better accounted for as resulting from genetic inheritance rather than from areal diffusion.

Keywords: Hokan languages, Amerindian languages, historical morphology, genetic vs. areal relationship

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