From Suffix To Prefix To Interposition Via Differential Object Marking In Egyptian-Coptic

This article argues that Differential Argument Indexing (DOI) and Differential Argument Marking (DOM) constructions in Coptic (Afroasiatic, Egypt) are reanalyzed, resulting in a set of verbs with interposed P-indexes within bipartite stems (DeLancey 1996; Nichols 2003). Basically, incorporated noun phrases with prefixed possessor indexes become parts of derived verbs with unpredictable lexical semantics, and their erstwhile possessor prefixes, entrapped within the derived verb, are reanalyzed as P-interpositions. Since this possessor prefix ultimately developed from an earlier possessor suffix, the pathway documented here, stripped down to its essentials, is suffix → prefix → interposition, and erstwhile complex construction → bipartite stem. Finally, an overt genitive prefix that marks lexical possessors of incorporated noun phrases is reanalyzed as an accusative case prefix. These changes introduce new complexity into Coptic Differential Argument Marking: not only are P arguments either indexed as suffixes, case marked, or incorporated for the majority of verbs, they can be indexed as interpositions for a lexically determined set of verbs.

本文认为，埃及亚非语系科普特语中的差异论元索引（Differential Argument Indexing, DOI）与差异论元标记（Differential Argument Marking, DOM）结构经重新分析后，形成了一类在二分词干中嵌入P语元索引的动词（DeLancey 1996; Nichols 2003）。具体而言，带有前置领属语索引的并入式名词短语（incorporated noun phrases）会成为派生动词的组成部分，但其词汇语义难以预判；而原本附着于这些名词短语的领属语前缀在嵌入派生动词后，被重新分析为P语元插入成分。由于这类领属语前缀最初由更早的领属语后缀演变而来，本文所记录的演变路径经精简后可概括为：后缀 → 前缀 → 插入成分，以及原复合结构 → 二分词干。最后，用于标记并入式名词短语词汇领属语的显性属格前缀，会被重新分析为宾格前缀。上述变化为科普特语差异论元标记体系增添了新的复杂度：对于多数动词而言，P语元既可以通过后缀形式标注、借助格标记实现，也可以依托并入结构承载；而针对特定词汇集合对应的动词，P语元还可以插入成分的形式完成标注。