Characteristic features of the languages of East and Southeast Asia

This lecture goes into more detail about grammatical topics.

Key technical terms

• Verb-related Concepts
• Aspect
• Imperfective
• Perfective
• Progressive
• Tense
• Modality
• Topic and Subject Structures
• Double subject construction
• Subject
• Topic
• Topic-prominent
• Trigger
• Classifiers and Constructions Involving Counting/Measurement
• Classifier
• Classifier float
• Measure construction
• Repeater construction
• Unit counter construction
• Verb Serialization and Constructions
• Loose serialization
• Tight serialization
• Serial verb construction
• Sentence Structure and Particles
• Sentence-final particle
• Verb-preposition
• Semantics and Reference
• Referential (non-referential)
• Specific (non-specific)
• Prototype
• Radial polysemy

Readings and Resources

Slides: Grammatical Features

The reading is Goddard, Chapter 4.

• Cliff Goddard (2005). The Languages of East and Southeast Asia: An Introduction. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780199248605