Table Of ContentNiuean
OXFORD STUDIES OF ENDANGERED LANGUAGES
Generaleditor
StephenR.Anderson,YaleUniversity
Advisoryeditors
W.F.H.Adelaar,UniversityofLeiden;PeterAustin,SchoolofOrientalandAfrican
Studies;JonathanDavidBobaljik,UniversityofConnecticut;ClaireBowern,Yale
University;DavidBradley,LaTrobeUniversity;SandraChung,Universityof
California,SantaCruz;AliceC.Harris,UniversityofMassachusetts,Amherst;
K.DavidHarrison,SwarthmoreCollege;LarryHyman,UniversityofCalifornia,
Berkeley;ChristianLehmann,UniversityofErfurt;OsahitoMiyaoka,
MaxPlanckInstituteforEvolutionaryAnthropology,Leipzig;
PamelaMunro,UniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles
KayardildMorphologyandSyntax
ErichR.Round
TheClause-TypingSystemofPlainsCree
Indexicality,Anaphoricity,andContrast
ClareCook
ToneandAccentinOklahomaCherokee
HirotoUchihara
Archi
ComplexitiesofAgreementinCross-TheoreticalPerspective
EditedbyOliverBond,GrevilleG.Corbett,MarinaChumakina,
andDunstanBrown
NominalContactinMichif
CarrieGillonandNicoleRosen
Niuean
PredicatesandArgumentsinanIsolatingLanguage
DianeMassam
Surmiran
ASwissRumantschLanguage
StephenR.Anderson
AdjectivesandAdverbsinInuktitut
RichardCompton
BarayinMorphosyntax
JosephLovestrand
HeadMarkinginYucatecMaya
ElisabethNorcliffe
ThePhonologyandMorphologyofModernSouthArabian
JanetC.E.Watson
Niuean
Predicates and Arguments
in an Isolating Language
DIANE MASSAM
1
3
GreatClarendonStreet,Oxford,OX26DP,
UnitedKingdom
OxfordUniversityPressisadepartmentoftheUniversityofOxford.
ItfurtherstheUniversity’sobjectiveofexcellenceinresearch,scholarship,
andeducationbypublishingworldwide.Oxfordisaregisteredtrademarkof
OxfordUniversityPressintheUKandincertainothercountries
©DianeMassam2020
Themoralrightsoftheauthorhavebeenasserted
FirstEditionpublishedin2020
Impression:1
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedin
aretrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,withoutthe
priorpermissioninwritingofOxfordUniversityPress,orasexpresslypermitted
bylaw,bylicenceorundertermsagreedwiththeappropriatereprographics
rightsorganization.Enquiriesconcerningreproductionoutsidethescopeofthe
aboveshouldbesenttotheRightsDepartment,OxfordUniversityPress,atthe
addressabove
Youmustnotcirculatethisworkinanyotherform
andyoumustimposethissameconditiononanyacquirer
PublishedintheUnitedStatesofAmericabyOxfordUniversityPress
198MadisonAvenue,NewYork,NY10016,UnitedStatesofAmerica
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
Dataavailable
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2019948976
ISBN 978–0–19–879355–7
PrintedandboundinGreatBritainby
ClaysLtd,ElcografS.p.A.
LinkstothirdpartywebsitesareprovidedbyOxfordingoodfaithand
forinformationonly.Oxforddisclaimsanyresponsibilityforthematerials
containedinanythirdpartywebsitereferencedinthiswork.
General Preface
Thevolumes inthis series bring original materialfrom endangeredlanguages to
bearonarangeofissuesinourunderstandingofthenatureofhumanlanguage.
The importance of the study of endangered languages for linguistic theory is
widely acknowledged, as is the need to document linguistic structures that are
indangerofdisappearingfromviewinthenearfuture.
Similarly, the importance of recording and preserving the diverse range of
human languages for broader cultural and ethical reasons is undeniable.
Unfortunately, difficult problems are posed by the desire to satisfy the twin
goals of comprehensive description on the one hand and of highlighting the
theoretical significance of specific areas of a language’s structure on the other in
asingleworkofmanageablesize.
As a result, linguists approaching the documentation of the world’s many
endangered languages face something of a dilemma. Many researchers have
collected important information on some areas of the languages they work on
withoutbeinginapositiontoproduceafullgrammar,orperhapsinthepresence
of other literature that accomplishes that basic descriptive goal adequately but
without detailed attention to specific points of unusual structure. Furthermore,
comprehensive grammars tend to be very large and expensive to produce, while
havingalimitedaudience.
‘Oxford Studies of Endangered Languages’ aims to support the publication of
theoretically informed work on endangered languages, while striking a balance
among these concerns. Books in the series do not attempt to provide full gram-
mars but rather to combine the documentation of portions of (one or perhaps
more) endangered languages with sophisticated analysis that establishes the
theoretical interest of the facts described. In the process, they contribute to the
explication of the role endangered languages can play in enhancing our under-
standingofthediversityofthehumanlanguagefaculty.
Theseriesintendstocoverallareasoflinguisticstructurefromphoneticsand
phonology through morphology and syntax to semantics and pragmatics. It is
open to work produced in a variety of theoretical frameworks, the only require-
ments being that the analysis be explicit and make testable claims within some
framework ofassumptions about thenature andorganizationof language, while
being based in substantial part on material whose publication serves the goal of
enhancingthedocumentationofthelanguage(s)underinvestigation.
The present volume addresses the syntactic organization of Niuean, a
PolynesianlanguagemostcloselyrelatedtoTongan,whichisspokenontheisland
x
ofNiueandbyasubstantialcommunityinNewZealand.Thislanguagepresents
an unusual complex of basic typological properties: isolating, analytic word
structure;Verb-Agent-Objectprimaryconstituentorder;andanergative/absolu-
tive case system (indicated by phrase-initial particles, rather than word level
inflection) forcore arguments. Massam argues indetailthattheseproperties are
inter-related. Theanalysis isformulated interms ofcurrent Minimalist assump-
tionsaboutsyntax,butislargelytheory-neutralincontent.Muchofthediscussion
concernsthenatureofpredicatesinNiueanandtheirsyntacticformation,which
is argued to involve a distinctive set of functional configurations and operations
including merger of Arguments at a higher structural level than is usually
assumed.
Theanalysisislaidoutinaccessibletermsandwillbeofvaluetotypologistsas
well as syntacticians. There is currently no available comprehensive reference
grammarofNiuean,andwhilethepresentvolumedoesnotfillthatroleexactly,
itwillprovidemuchinformationofusetothegeneralstudentofthelanguageand
to members of the Niuean community interested in the structure of their
language.
Acknowledgements
Asalinguistworkingonalanguagewhichisnotmyown,Ihavereliedheavilyon
the help of many fluent speakers of Vagahau Niue. For graciously sharing their
knowledgeof theirlanguage, Iam particularlygrateful to Ofania Ikiua, Malotele
Kumitau Polata, Harry Manamana, Lynsey Talagi, and the late Reverend Lagi
Sipeli. I would also like to thank several Niue language professionals for their
generous help of various kinds, including Moira Zeta Enetama (Director, Tāoga
Niue), Tifaole Ioane (Chair, Niue Language Commission), and Birtha Lisimoni-
Togahai(DirectorofEducation,GovernmentofNiue).Inaddition,Ithankother
Niuean educators and authors for their warm support, including Rosa Jackson,
Lino Nelisi, Gaylene Tasmania, and Tose Tuhipa, as well as audience members
and speakers at the Leo Pasifika COOL conference in Niuean in 2000 in
Kamatautoga, Alofi, and the Vagahau Niue conference in 2017 in Mutalau,
Niue. I would also like to acknowledge all the speakers of Niuean, who have
shapedandfosteredtheirbeautifullanguage.Fakaauelahimahaki!
I am also grateful to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of
Canadaforresearchsupport(Grants410-97-0493,410-01-1415,410-2005-1112,
410-2009-2589,and 435-2015-1987), andtothe Facultyof Arts andScience,the
Research Opportunity and the Work Study programs, and the Department of
LinguisticsallattheUniversityofToronto,forfinancialandcollegialsupport,and
forfosteringastrongresearchenvironment.SpecialthanksareduetoMaryHsu,
andalsotoBillForrest,forsupportiveadministrativeguidance.
Turning to linguistics, I would like to thank my New Zealand, Pacific, and
theoretical linguistics colleagues. I am especially grateful to Elizabeth Pearce,
Heidi Quinn, Wolfgang Sperlich, and Donna Starks, for inspiration and for
facilitating several of my trips to Victoria University of Wellington, University
ofCanterbury,Christchurch,andAucklandUniversityinNewZealand,aswellas
to Niue. I would also like to recognize Winifred Bauer, Juliette Blevins, Andrew
Carnie, Noam Chomsky, Sandra Chung, Ross Clark, Robert Early, the late Ken
Hale,KyleJohnson,KateKearns,ChrisLane,ÉricMathieu,LisaMatthewson,Jim
McCloskey,MiriamMeyerhoff,YukoOtsuka,BillPalmer,AndrewPawley,Maria
Polinsky,BetsyRitter,IanRoberts,andMartinaWiltschkofortheirkindnessand
inspirational help at various points along the way. I also thank all my close
colleagues, especially Susana Bejar, Jack Chambers, Elizabeth Cowper, Cristina
Cuervo, Elan Dresher, Jila Ghomeshi, Elaine Gold, Alana Johns, Arsalan
Kahnemuyipour, Catherine Macdonald, Ileana Paul, Keren Rice, Yves Roberge,
Ana-Teresa Pérez-Leroux, Sali Tagliamonte, Rebecca Tollan, and Lisa Travis, as
xii
well as the broader AFLA, COOL, CLA, and Canadian DP communities, who
haveinfluencedmythinkingandhavealsolistenedtovariousearlyversionsofthe
ideas herein. Many other dear colleagues and scholars who are not named here,
Irecognizethroughcitationoftheirwork.EnormousthanksgotomystellarPhD
students,whowillallseetheirnames andtheirinfluence onmythinkinginthis
work,andtomymuch-valuedMAandBAstudents,severalofwhomcanalsobe
found herein as co-authors. I have co-authored a lot of papers on Niuean, and
I am keenly grateful to all my co-authors, but rather than name them all here,
I will let their names be found throughout the volume. Each of these co-
authorships is dear to my heart, and if I over-cite my previous work, it is partly
because I want to pay tribute to them all. In addition, I am very grateful to the
talentedandgenerouseditorsandreviewersatOxfordUniversityPress,particu-
larly Vicki Sunter and Julia Steer, and Lydia Shinoj, Joy Mellor, and Hayley
Buckley.GratefulthanksgoalsotoLiamDonohueforeditorialassistance.
On the home front, I acknowledge the loving support of my wonderful
extended families on all sides, upwards, downwards, and outwards, as well as
the good cheer of the Usuals. Finally, my deepest thanks go to Sophie and
Madeleine Roberge, and to the one who has helped me the most in every way,
YvesRoberge.
Glossing and Technical Abbreviations
1 Firstperson
2 Secondperson
3 Thirdperson
A Agent
Absolutive
Adj Adjunct/Adjective
Anim Animate
Agr Agreement
Appl Applicative
Args Argumentdomain
Asp Highaspectmodifier
AspP Aspectphrase
Benefactive
Common(ornon-proper)
C-comp Completioncomplement
C-movement Categorialmovement(roll-up)
Causative
Cl Classifier
Comparative
Comitative
Complementizer
CP Complementizerphrase
D Determiner
D-structure Deep-structure
Definitiveaccent(Tongan)
Demonstrative
Directional
DP Determinerphrase
DscP Discourseparticle
Dual
ECM Exceptionalcasemarking
Emphatic
EPP ExtendedProjectionPrinciple
Ergative
Exclusive
Exhortative
Fin Finite/finiteness
FinP Finitenessphrase
Focus
xiv
Future
GB GovernmentandBindingTheory
Genitive
GR Genitiverelative
Habitual
HiAM Highargumentmerge
HMan Highmanner
Human
Imperative
Inan Inanimate
Inclusive
Indefinite
INFL Inflection
Instr Instrument(al)
Int Interrogative
IO Indirectobject
IP Inflectionalphrase
K Case
KP Casephrase
LMan Lowmanner
Linker
Locative
Mod Modifier
MR Minimalresponse
Negative
non-future(relativeclauses)
NP Nounphrase
Non-specific
NVI Non-volitionalinitiator
O Object
Obl Oblique
P Preposition
P Phrase(inNP,VP,etc.)
P/C Proper/Common
PAH PronominalArgumentHypothesis
Perfect
Personalarticle
PF Predicateformative
Plural
PNI Pseudonounincorporation
Pol Polarity
Pos Position
PP Prepositionalphrase
Predicativeparticle
PredP Predicativephrase
