Voice and being core: evidence from (Eastern) Indonesian languages

Abstract

The paper deals with the significance of core argument status and associated (pragmatic) prominence in (eastern) Indonesian languages of the Nusa Tenggara region covering the provinces of Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, and East Nusa Tenggara. There are tens of languages in this area but the present analysis is mainly based on Balinese1, Bima2, Manggarai, Lio, Sikka3, and Lamaholot4. The discussion is also supported by Indonesian data. The issues to be discussed are (i) how core status is determined, (ii) how core status might be changed, (iii) what motivates the change, (iv) what parameter can be formulated to account for typological variations associated with the answers of the foregoing questions. The present research suggests that being core is a complex matter involving morphosyntax-semantic interaction and, crucially, pragmatic prominence. The investigation in these languages confirms the notion of prominence in language system, particularly in argument-structure (Manning 1996; Arka 1998; Arka and Manning to appear; Foley 1998a, 1998b). Data from the isolating group lead to the proposal that mapping and core status may be determined, not only by lexicon/morphology, but also by pragmatics via syntax. The analysis, couched within LFG, is an a-str-based version of the parameterized properties in voice system and object doubling as discussed in Foley (Foley 1998a; Foley 1998b)) The paper is organized as follows. First of all, a short typological description of the basic facts is given, which includes word order (2.1) and marking (2.2). The important data on core alternations and the associated pragmatic aspect follow (2.3). Then, in section 3, the analysis is given. It covers the discussions on voice and argument structure in LFG (3.1), mapping and marking strategies (default and marked), their relation with parametric principles of voice system and object doubling, and evidence for voice alternations as mapping alternations (3.2)-(3-3). Further support for the significance of being core in voice alternations is given from the restriction it places on possible binding relations (3.4). Finally, conclusion is given in 4.