The Third Person Singular Pronominal Clitic in Balochi of Sistan : A Progress Report

Issue Date: 
2014
Is Part Of Series: 
Studia Iranica, 43(2)
Extent: 
pages 203-220
Abstract: 
This paper begins by discussing the distribution of the two allomorphs of the third person singular pronominal clitic in Balochi of Sistan. It finds the conditioning to be mostly, but not exclusively phonological. When =ī is attached to the final verb of an independent clause, the referent is the subject/agent but, when =ē occurs, it is the undergoer (with a few exceptions due to dialectal variation). It follows that, when the subject is stated but =ī is also present, =ī still refers to the subject and gives it thematic prominence. The second part of the paper argues that the presence of the pronominal clitic with the past form of the verb ‘say’ (gušt=ī) communicates “referent continuity” (Givón 1990); in particular, the ongoing involvement in the expected role of any active third person participant who is not identified by a noun or independent pronoun in the current clause.
Publication Status: 
Published
Country: 
Afghanistan
Iran
Subject Languages: 
Content Language: 
Field: 
Work Type: 
Nature of Work: 
Entry Number: 
60707