Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 297-307). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

This thesis explains why the prefix maha- in Malagasy (a Western Austronesian language) can have either an abilitive or causative meaning. It is not the case that there is a causative maha- prefix and an abilitive maha- prefix. There is, in fact, only one prefix which is both causative and abilitive. The apparent difference in meaning arises because of a difference in the emphasis placed on what I shall suggest are the two components of this prefix: stativity and causation. Whether maha- receives an abilitive or a causative reading depends on whether it attaches to what I term an "eventive" root or a "non-eventive" root. In the former case, it receives an abilitive reading, in the latter case, a causative reading.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis explores the nature of voice in Malagasy, a language spoken in Madagascar. In chapter 2, it is claimed that different passives promote arguments from different structural positions. Evidence is provided for a particular position, [Spec, v2P], where a certain class of elements ("displaced themes") may be generated. One particular passive, the a-prefix, promotes to subject elements in this position. In chapter 3, arguments are presented in favour of a structural analysis of circumstantial topic (CT). CT morphology licenses all arguments of the verb. Due to a requirement that all clauses have a subject (the Extended Projection Principle), some element other than a DP structurally Case marked by the verb must raise to subject. Finally, chapter 4 addresses the left periphery in the Malagasy clause, in particular the structural positions of topic and focus.

Thesis--Université de Paris VII, 1977. / Includes indexes. Includes bibliographical references (v. 2, p. 368-384bis).

Thesis--Université de Paris VII, 1977. / Includes indexes. Includes bibliographical references (v. 2, p. 368-384bis).

Cette thèse a trois principaux objets : la description morphologique des mots rédupliqués pour en déduire les différents types de réduplication en malgache, la détermination des différentes fonctions de la réduplication et l'étude des valeurs sémantiques dénotées par la réduplication. Les données puisées dans plusieurs dictionnaires et lexiques malgaches disponibles affirment la productivité et la profusion de ce processus. Ce travail de recherche se propose donc de montrer la place de réduplication dans le lexique malgache, en se basant sur l'analyse morphologique et sémantique. Il met en œuvre deux bases théoriques, à savoir la réduplication typologique (Blust 1998, 2001 et Zeitoun : 1998, 2006) et la réduplication fonctionnant comme affixes (Marantz :1982) et McCarthy et Prince (1999). L'étude est basée sur des relations, des fonctions et des associations, d'où le recours à la morphologie structurale, fonctionnelle et associative en adoptant le rapport d'opposition selon Rajaona (1977, 2004) et le cercle linguistique de Prague et aussi la morphologie associative de Danielle Corbin (1988, 1991, 2004). Les éléments du corpus sont extraits des ouvrages écrits, mais également de documents sonores existants ou que nous avons nous-mêmes collectés. La thèse est divisée en trois parties organisées en sept chapitres. Comme résultats, l'étude du corpusa permis d'identifier au moins neufs types de réduplication, cinq fonctions et vingt-cinq valeurs de la réduplication dans la langue malgache. Dans la conclusion, nous avons aussi évoqué les limites, les applications et les perspectives. / This thesis has three main objects: the morphological description of reduplicated words with a view to deducing the various types of reduplication in Malagasy, determination of the different functions of reduplication and the study of the semantic values provided by the reduplication. The data collected from a number of Malagasy dictionaries and lexicons that are availables how case the productivity and profusion of the process. This research work thus aims to show reduplication’s place in the Malagasy lexicon, based on morphological and semantic analysis. This work is based on two theoretical views: typological reduplication (Blust: 1998, 2001 and Zeitoun: 1998, 2006) and on the other hand partial reduplication which functions as affix (Marantz: 1982) and McCarthy and Prince (1999). This study is based on relations, functions and associations, thus appealing to structural, functional and associative morphology by adopting opposition relationship (according to Rajaona: 1977, 2004 and the linguistic circle of Prague) and Danielle Corbin’s associative morphology (1987, 1991, 2004). Items of the data have been extracted from written work ssuch as dictionaries as well as existing sound materials or materials we have collected ourselves. This thesis is divided into three parts which comprise seven chapters. As results, the morphological and semantic study of the data identified at least nine types of reduplication, five functions and twenty-five values of reduplication in the Malagasy language. In the conclusion, we also discussed limits, applications and perspectives.