Carol Genetti

New York University Abu Dhabi, Arts and Humanities Division, Vice Provost, Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs

University of California, Santa Barbara, Linguistics, Faculty Member

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Books by Carol Genetti

How Languages Work: An Introduction to Language and Linguistics

This new introduction to linguistics presents language in all its amazing complexity, while guidi... more This new introduction to linguistics presents language in all its amazing complexity, while guiding students through the basics. Students emerge with an appreciation of the diversity of the world's languages, as well as a deeper understanding of the structure of human language, the ways it is used, and its broader social and cultural context.

A rich set of Language Profiles helps students explore the world's linguistic diversity and identify similarities and differences between languages, while encouraging them to apply concepts from earlier chapter material. A range of carefully designed pedagogical features foster student engagement by adopting a step-by-step approach along with study questions and case studies.

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Himalayan Linguistics 10.1, Special Issue in Memory of Michael Noonan and David Watters

This special issue of Himalayan Linguistics 10.1 is a tribute to Mickey Noonan and David Watters,... more This special issue of Himalayan Linguistics 10.1 is a tribute to Mickey Noonan and David Watters, both senior scholars of Tibeto-Burman languages of Nepal and members of the HL editorial staff, and both taken from us unexpectedly, too early, and just a few months of one another . The issue contains 13 journal articles on diverse subjects, primarily regarding Tibeto-Burman languages of Nepal. The issue also contains a review of Chelliah and DeReuse's Handbook of Descriptive Linguistic Fieldwork. And notably this issue inaugurates the new publication category of field report. As always, HL is available free online, but there are plans to make this special issue available in hardcopy as well.

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A Grammar of Dolakha Newar

[Mouton Grammar Library 40] Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 2007

A Grammar of Dolakha Newar is the first fully comprehensive reference grammar of a Newar variety.... more A Grammar of Dolakha Newar is the first fully comprehensive reference grammar of a Newar variety. Dolakha Newar is of particular interest as it is member of the mutually unintelligible eastern branch of the family, so allows for an important comparative perspective on this significant Tibeto-Burman language. In addition to a chapter on phonetics and phonology, the book contains a separate chapter on prosody. There are also distinct chapters on each word class, with full discussion of the morphological and syntactic properties of each class. The book provides an extensive study of syntax, including complete chapters on constructions, clause structure, constituent order, grammatical relations, nominalization, complementation, the participial construction, and the complex sentence, as well as a detailed chapter on tense and aspect. Brimming with examples from natural discourse, the book couples rigorous description of the language's structures with full discussion of how the structures are used in connected speech. Each analysis is presented with full argumentation and competing analyses are contrasted and discussed. The result is a rich, readable, and beautifully argued portrait of a language and how it works.

A descriptive and historical account of the Dolakha Newari dialect

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Papers by Carol Genetti

UC Santa Barbara Himalayan Linguistics Title Direct speech reports and the cline of prosodic integration in Dolakha Newar Publication Date Direct speech reports and the cline of prosodic integration in Dolakha Newar Direct speech reports and the cline of prosodic integration in Dolakha Newar 1

a b s t r ac t Direct speech reporting is a rhetorical strategy used frequently in the production... more a b s t r ac t Direct speech reporting is a rhetorical strategy used frequently in the production of Dolakha Newar narrative. Direct speech reports are syntactically uniform in constituting center-embedded objects of ditransitive verbs. Prosodically, they show a wide range of behaviors. They may be set off from the surrounding quotative frame by intonation-unit boundaries, variations in pitch or loudness, and/or the production of contours typical of conversational speech. They may also be produced across multiple intonation units and may show patterns of macro-level prosodic structuring indicative of internal prosodic coherence and embedding within higher-level structures. On the other hand, they may exhibit none of these prosodic characteristics and be prosodically integrated with respect to the quotative frame. This variable behavior results from competition among a variety of pressures, including speakers' performative goals, the syntax of complementation, the rhetorical impa...

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The start and end of it: Prosodic marking of speech report boundaries in Dolakha Newar

Himalayan Linguistics himalayan linguistics Direct speech reports and the cline of prosodic integration in Dolakha Newar Direct speech reports and the cline of prosodic integration in Dolakha Newar 1

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Syntactic aspects of nominalization in five Tibeto-Burman languages of the Himalayan area

Linguistics of the TIbeto-Burman Area, 2008

The goal of this paper is to describe some of the syntactic structures that are created through n... more The goal of this paper is to describe some of the syntactic structures that are created through nominalization processes in Himalayan Tibeto-Burman languages and the relationships between those structures. These include both structures involving the nominalization of clauses (e.g. complement clauses, relative clauses) and structures involving the nominalization of verbs and predicates (e.g. the derivation of nouns and adjectives). We will argue that, synchronically, clausal nominalization, structurally represented as [clause] NP , is the basic structure underlying many of the nominalizing constructions in these languages, even though individual constructions embed and alter this structure in interesting ways. In addition to clausal nominalization, we will illustrate the presence of derivational nominalization, represented as [V-NOM] N and [V-NOM] ADJ , although some nominal derivations target the predicate, not the verb root as their domain. We will also demonstrate that derivational nominalization can be seen as having developed from clausal nominalization, at least for some forms in some languages, and that the opposite direction of development, from derivational to clausal structures, is also attested. We will conclude with some syntactic observations pertinent to recent claims made on the historical relationship between nominalization and relativization, demonstrating that there are various ways that these structures can be related. This study is based on data from five Tibeto-Burman languages of the Himalayan area: Manange, Dolakha Newar, Mongsen Ao, Dongwang Tibetan, and Zhuokeji rGyalrong.

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The Familiarity Trap: Collaborative Research and Teaching Lessons from 6 Interdisciplinary Projects

Interdisciplinary projects can be surprisingly challenging for experienced academic collaborators... more Interdisciplinary projects can be surprisingly challenging for experienced academic collaborators socially, intellectually, and practically. Within disciplines, common sets of philosophical assumptions, practical knowledge-bases, and professional goals can help groups to wrestle though interpersonal differences in attitudes, ideas, priorities and work habits that each participant brings to the table. However, in projects that span disciplines, even those basic commonalities cannot be relied on as members coordinate their plans, integrate their approaches, and disseminate their findings. By creating an intensive one-year model for interdisciplinary research-into-teaching projects, UCSB's Crossroads program has been able to compare reported experiences from six groups progressing though common phases of interdisciplinary collaborations and the predictable challenges that arise during such work. Many of the groups' reported needs for dedicated planning and preparation may sound...

Grammatical relations in Kubeo

Typological Studies in Language, 2019

This paper describes a number of argument selectors for grammatical relations in Kubeo, an Easter... more This paper describes a number of argument selectors for grammatical relations in Kubeo, an Eastern Tukanoan language spoken in the Vaupes River area in Northwestern Amazonia. The main selectors discussed in this paper are: verbal agreement, case marking, constituent ordering, causative, applicative, non-finite clauses, passive, noun incorporation and anaphoric constructions. The overwhelming grammatical pattern selects S, A, and A ditr for similar treatment in contrast to the remaining argument types; some constructions suggest a distinction between two types of S arguments, which we analyze as S a versus S p. The language presents the phenomenon of differential object marking, as well as analytical challenges related to non-canonical passivization and the way that animacy, referentiality and argument hierarchies correlate in the organization of grammatical relations.

Creating a Language Center in the Upper Rio Negro (Amazon): Considerations for Ongoing Collaborations

This paper analyzes the process involved in establishing a center dedicated to the investigation,... more This paper analyzes the process involved in establishing a center dedicated to the investigation, documentation and conservation of indigenous languages and cultures in the town of São Gabriel da Cachoeira in the north-west Brazilian Amazon. Our analysis will focus on how the sociolinguistic situation in the area of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, the complexity of local demands from community members and indigenous organizations, and the institutional context in the region are related to the center’s strategic plan and initial activities. The goals of this paper are to identify and discuss potential directions for this pioneering initiative in Brazil, and to call attention to the complex practical and theoretical questions that it raises about collaboration, institutional and community involvement, and academic and traditional knowledge. We will contextualize our discussion of the center within the field of Language Documentation and Conservation (LD&C) and suggest practical directions f...

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How Languages Work: An Introduction to Language and Linguistics

1. Introduction: language, languages, and linguistics Carol Genetti 2. Phonetics: physical dimens... more 1. Introduction: language, languages, and linguistics Carol Genetti 2. Phonetics: physical dimensions of speech sounds Matthew Gordon 3. Phonology: organization of speech sounds Matthew Gordon 4. Morphology: what's in a word? Marianne Mithun 5. Word classes: evidence from grammatical behavior Carol Genetti 6. Syntax: words in combination Carol Genetti 7. Semantics: how language makes sense Michael Israel 8. Pragmatics: inference for language Mira Ariel 9. Discourse: language beyond the sentence Wallace Chafe 10. Prosody: the music of language Wallace Chafe 11. Language and the social world Mary Bucholtz 12. Language change: the dynamicity of linguistic systems Marianne Mithun 13. Language contact and areal linguistics Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald 14. First language acquisition Patricia Clancy 15. Second language acquisition Dorothy Chun and Jan Frodesen Language Profiles: 1. Kabardian Matthew Gordon and Ayla Applebaum 2. Goemai Birgit Hellwig 3. Manange Kristine Hildebrandt 4. Finnis...

How Languages Work

Language is a sophisticated tool which we use to communicate in a multitude of ways. Updated and ... more Language is a sophisticated tool which we use to communicate in a multitude of ways. Updated and expanded in its second edition, this book introduces language and linguistics - presenting language in all its amazing complexity while systematically guiding you through the basics. The reader will emerge with an appreciation of the diversity of the world's languages, as well as a deeper understanding of the structure of human language, the ways it is used, and its broader social and cultural context. Part I is devoted to the nuts and bolts of language study - speech sounds, sound patterns, sentence structure, and meaning - and includes chapters dedicated to the functional aspects of language: discourse, prosody, pragmatics, and language contact. The fourteen language profiles included in Part II reveal the world's linguistic variety while expanding on the similarities and differences between languages. Using knowledge gained from Part I, the reader can explore how language func...

An Analysis of Syntax and Prosody Interactions in a Dolakhā Newar Rendition of The Mahābhārata

Himalayan Linguistics, 2014

This study explores the relationship of prosodic and syntactic structure in a Dolakhā Newār rende... more This study explores the relationship of prosodic and syntactic structure in a Dolakhā Newār rendering of a portion of The MahΩbhΩrata. Six intonation types are identified and described. The strongest syntax/prosody correlation is between final intonation and finite verb morphology. Finite clauses may be found with continuing intonation; in these cases the speaker manipulates the syntactic and prosodic levels for functional reasons. Prosodic units combine to form larger structures which we call prosodic sentences. These are defined as prosodic marcro-units optionally containing any number of continuing intonation units and ending with final intonation. Prosodic sentences may be internally complex and exhibit embedding. Boundaries between narrative sentences are produced by the convergence of finality at the syntactic and prosodic levels. Body of paper Appendix I. Transcription Conventions and Abbreviations Appendix II. Glossed and translated text, with sound files Appendix III. Annotations Appendix IV. A Folk Retelling of The MahΩbhΩrata References In section 4, correlations between syntactic units and prosodic units are presented, along with a discussion of their implications. We explicitly discuss the notion of "sentence" in section 5. We follow Chafe (1994) in recognizing the existence of prosodic sentences which are independent of syntactic sentences, but have structural parallels. We claim that speakers signal significant boundaries between sentences in narrative primarily by the alignment of final syntax and final intonation. Appendix III contains the transcribed narrative in its entirety, with linguistic glosses and free translation. Additional observations on the interaction between syntax and prosody may be found in the annotations, located in Appendix IV. Previous work on the interaction of prosody and syntax varies both in goals and in method. The current study is inspired by the work of Chafe (1980, 1988, 1993, 1994). It similarly seeks to understand the relationship between prosody and syntax through the detailed and qualitative analysis of naturally occurring discourse. This paper complements two prior studies on intonation in the Kathmandu dialect of Newar, Kansakar (1977) and Hargreaves (1986), which also examine the interaction of intonation with other linguistic subsystems. In particular, Hargreaves (1986) explores many of the issues with which we are concerned. 2. Prosody in DolakhΩe Speech is not pronounced in long, monotonous sequences of phones, but in short "spurts" or "bursts", which have characteristic changes in pitch, tempo and loudness. Units of this type have been given numerous names by different scholars, including "tone groups" (Palmer 1922, O'Connor and Arnold 1973), "intonation groups" (Cruttenden 1986) "tone units" (Knowles 1984), "intonation phrases" (Selkirk 1986) and "intonation units" (Chafe 1988, 1993, Du Bois et al. 1993). Since the terms "tone" and "intonation" both refer to pitch, and since pitch is only one of several factors that differentiate one such unit from the next, we have decided to adopt the more general term prosodic unit. In our transcription, prosodic units are numbered sequentially and placed on separate lines. We follow the general approach of Du Bois et al (1993) in identifying a set of timing and pitch cues which serve to mark the boundaries between prosodic units. Timing cues involve the tempo of speaking, and include pauses, which frequently occur between prosodic units, lengthening, which tends to occur at the ends of prosodic units, and initial anacrusis, which refers to the relative rapidity with which speakers often begin prosodic units. Of the three timing cues, pauses are the most commonly occurring, as 232 of the 362 prosodic units in the text (roughly 64%) have pauses preceding them. 4 Following the transcription system of Du Bois et al. (1993), pauses are indicated in our text with a sequence of dots: Two-dot pauses indicate very short disruptions in fluency, whereas three-dot pauses indicate longer pauses of approximately three-tenths of a second or 4 Pauses may also occur within prosodic units, but this is relatively rare. 9 The transitivity of the clause may be established by the requirement for subjects to be in the ergative case, and by the transitive form of the third-person singular past verb form,-cu.

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Direct speech reports and the cline of prosodic integration in Dolakha Newar

Himalayan Linguistics, 2014

Direct speech reporting is a rhetorical strategy used frequently in the production of Dolakha New... more Direct speech reporting is a rhetorical strategy used frequently in the production of Dolakha Newar narrative. Direct speech reports are syntactically uniform in constituting center-embedded objects of ditransitive verbs. Prosodically, they show a wide range of behaviors. They may be set off from the surrounding quotative frame by intonation-unit boundaries, variations in pitch or loudness, and/or the production of contours typical of conversational speech. They may also be produced across multiple intonation units and may show patterns of macro-level prosodic structuring indicative of internal prosodic coherence and embedding within higher-level structures. On the other hand, they may exhibit none of these prosodic characteristics and be prosodically integrated with respect to the quotative frame. This variable behavior results from competition among a variety of pressures, including speakers' performative goals, the syntax of complementation, the rhetorical impact of the quoted speech, performance factors, and inter-speaker variation in style, among others. While statistical analyses might fruitfully be applied to objectively quantifiable factors, a purely statistical model will never fully predict prosodic behavior, due to the meaningful nature of prosody and intangible features of individuals in the production of discourse.

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Introduction: The Grammatical Encoding of Space in Tibeto-Burman Languages

Himalayan Linguistics, 2017

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The Grammatical Encoding of Space in Yonghe Qiang

Himalayan Linguistics, 2017

Like other languages of the Western Sichuan linguistic area, the Yonghe variety of Qiang has robu... more Like other languages of the Western Sichuan linguistic area, the Yonghe variety of Qiang has robust grammatical systems for spatial concepts. Within the noun phrase, there are specialized locative casemarkers for different degrees of distance of the object being located. There is also a set of locational nouns, which are structured based on an intrinsic frame of reference, at least for some speakers. In the verb phrase, there is a system of five existential verbs, four of which have locational semantics; choice of existential depends on containment and attachment, then secondarily on the animacy of the referent being located. There is also a set of eight directional prefixes. These have different discourse frequencies, reflecting different levels of prefix-verb collocation. In addition, the prefixes primarily occur in perfective clauses and imperatives; however, they are optional when an adverbial phrase is also used. Thus, the system approximates derivation rather than inflection. These patterns of distribution, together with comparative data from other Western Sichuan languages, suggest a grammaticalization pathway from directional prefix to perfective to imperative. .

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Report on the 48th international conference on Sino-Tibetan languages and linguistics (ICSTLL48)

Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area, 2016

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Walking the line: Balancing description, argumentation and theory in academic grammar writing

This chapter explores how to incorporate linguistic typology, argumentation, and theoretical inno... more This chapter explores how to incorporate linguistic typology, argumentation, and theoretical innovation into a reference grammar. It provides recommendations on how to produce a balanced grammar that is firmly grounded in theory, responsible to the unique structures of the language, and comprehensible now and over time. Linguistic typology provides a set of widely recognized linguistic categories used in the classification of grammatical patterns. These can be taken as starting points from which the structures of the language can be compared, contrasted, explored, and explained, profiling the unique shapes of language-particular categories. Argumentation for particular analyses provides clarification and explanation, although excessive argumentation can obscure descriptive facts. Simply asserting facts is appropriate for lower-level linguistic features, simple canonical structures, or uncontroversial elements or their functions. Argumentation is appropriate when structures differ from typologically-expected patterns, when the analysis counters descriptions in the literature, and in cases of multiple interpretations of a structure. Grammar writing immerses researchers in the structure of a language, revealing new vistas of understanding and novel ways of interpreting structure. Theoretically innovative analyses that reflect these insights can be incorporated as long as they are motivated, well-explained, and balanced by a typologically-informed descriptive base.

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Basic linguistic theory (review)

Language

Volumes 1 and 2 of Basic linguistic theory are the first of a three-volume set scheduled to be co... more Volumes 1 and 2 of Basic linguistic theory are the first of a three-volume set scheduled to be completed in 2011. The front matter describes the work as a ‘new and fundamental characterization of the nature of human language and a comprehensive guide to their description and analysis’. This is an accurate portrayal. These books are monumental and destined to become classics, equatable to the two volumes entitled Language by Sapir (1921) and Bloomfield (1933), and to Givón’s Syntax, volumes 1 (1984) and 2 (1990), but in each case surpassing them in scope, detail, rigor, and coherence. Dixon presents a complete, fully articulated, and cohesive explication of grammar, with extensive elaboration on every major grammatical structure found in the world’s languages, as well as many minor ones. This work squarely falls within the field of linguistic typology, as it is broadly crosslinguistic and comparative, and aims to provide a summary of the prototypical grammatical patterns found in the...

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