The functions and the developments of the dual for

Authors: Maris Camilleri

Publish Date: 2015/01/29

Volume: 25, Issue: 1, Pages: 111-138

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Abstract

This paper investigates the functions associated with the dual form in Maltese This is established by the positing of morphosyntactic tests which help identify what NUM value is realized by specific dual forms within different noun categories These tests show that while specific dual forms still realize a DU value other dual forms have developed as PL or SG exponents It is specifically by analysing the synchronic behaviour of the body part class of dual formtaking nouns that reconstructions of how the function of the dual form has developed are proposed Moreover the dual form’s realization of a specific value is also highly dependant on the paradigmatic context it occurs in Considering the distinct dual form–function mismatches present within distinct paradigmatic contexts challenges binarybased overdifferentiated vs nonoverdifferentiated labels and highlights a correlation between canonicity and markedness For the first time Maltese dual data will be compared with data from different Arabic vernacularsI wish to thank my Tunisian informant Hāchim Bannāni from the Wilayat alQasrain region my Palestinian informant Salima abuĞbāra from the Tulkarem region and Louisa Sadler and Andrew Spencer for their helpful comments The ERC2008AdG230268 MORPHOLOGY grant which allowed this research to be possible is hereby acknowledged

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