Deixis In Ezha

Based on the cross-linguistic typological observations in Himmelmann (1996)rnand Diessel (1999), this study is concerned with the form and use of deicticrnexpressions in Ezha, an Ethiosemitic Gurage language. Ezha uses variousrndeictic elements in communication. Spatial deixis is expressed by thernproximal demonstrative zɨ ‘this’ and the distal demonstrative za ‘that’.rnDerivations from these spatial deictic elements can refer to the topography,rndirection and position of the referent, or indicate discourse deixis. Temporalrndeixis is expressed by different lexical items and by specificrnaspect/tense/mood forms of the verb. Ezha has, furthermore, a demonstrativernfor manner deixis, zɨkka ‘like this’. The presentative deictic expression jəxurn‘Here it is (2MS)!’ and other inflectional forms accompany the speaker’srnactivity to present something to the addressee. Person deixis is expressed byrnindependent personal pronouns and/or dependent agreement markers onrnverbs. These pronouns and agreement markers distinguish between thernspeaker, the addressee and the other entity (neither speaker nor hearer) asrnreferent, and also between male and female gender, and singular and pluralrnnumber in the second and third person. Ezha also employs pronouns andrnagreement markers to express social deixis which refers to the status of orrnrelationship between the interlocutors. Kinship terms are also included underrnsocial deixis in this study.

Get Full Work

Report copyright infringement or plagiarism