the joys of linguistics and the study of iñupiaq language barrow arctic science consortium, 15th...

The Joys of Linguistics and the Study of Iñupiaq Language

Barrow Arctic Science Consortium,

15th October 2011,

Signe Rix Berthelin, NTNU, Trondheim

The Joy of Linguistics and the Study of Iñupiaq Language

• Linguistics, introduction to the sub-diciplines• How these sub-diciplines apply to Iupiaq• MA research on Evidentiality and Modality in Iñupiaq• Questions and comments

About me and my motivation for studying Iñupiaq

• Signe Rix Berthelin• 26 years old• Grew up in Copenhagen, Denmark, • Live and study in Trondheim, Norway since 2006

• Graduate student of Linguistics • Linguistics, Swahili and Anthropology in my BA• MA on Evidentiality and Modality in Iñupiaq• Visiting the Alaska Native Language Center,

University of Alaska, Fairbanks


• Danish and Norwegian – very similar, mutually intelligible

• But! Watch out for differences..

Tak, det var rartDK Thank you, that was nice

NO Thank you, that was wierd


Why Linguistics?• Love language, especially words and meaning• Interest from my mother

Why Iñupiaq?• Conrtribute to an endangered language• Conrtribute to lively language• Like the grammar of Iñupiaq• Interested native cultures of Alaska

Linguistics

Phonetics

Phonology

Morphology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Phonetics

Phonology

Morphology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Linguistics

Sounds

Phonetics

Phonology

Morphology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Linguistics

Sounds

Grammar

Phonetics

Phonology

Morphology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Linguistics

Sounds

Grammar

Meaning

Phonetics

Phonology

Morphology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Linguistics

Sounds

Phonetics and Phonology

Sounds

• Speech sounds – Phonetics

→ production of speech sounds.

• Systems of speech sounds – Phonology

→ which sounds may be combined in a language?

→ stress, intonation etc.

Phonetics• vs. spelling• Spelling is abitrary

ghoti = fish

Phonetics

ghoti = fish

gh = f as in rough

Phonetics

ghoti = fish

gh = f as in rough

o = i as in women

Phonetics

ghoti = fish

gh = f as in rough

o = i as in women

ti = sh as in nation

Phonetics• International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

fish = [ˈfɪʃ]

nation = [ˈneɪʃən]

Links:http://www.paulmeier.com/ipa/charts.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet

http://www.paulmeier.com/ipa/charts.html

http://www.paulmeier.com/ipa/charts.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Phonetic_Alphabet

Production of

speech sounds

• qimmiq ‘dog’

• candy

Where is the

articulation taking

place?

Production of

speech sounds

• qimmiq• candy

qimmiq = one dog

qimmik = two dogs

→ /q/ and /k/ are different

phonemes in Iñupiaq

Phoneme = smallest meaning differing

unit.

Phonology• System of speech sounds• Languages sound differently→ they ”allow” different sounds

→ different combinations of sounds

Swahili: mbuzi ‘goat’ mb at the beginning

English: lamb mb at the end

Danish: rød ‘red’ ð at the end

English: that ð at the beginning

Swahili: maua 3 vowels

Iñupiaq: max 2 vowels (insert g)

PhonologyIñupiaq’s preferred combinations (North Slope)

aġnat + guuq = aġnatguuq

women + it is said = it is said that the women

PhonologyIñupiaq’s preferred combinations (North Slope)

aġnat + guuq = aġnatguuq, aġnarguuq


t → r ?

Phonologyaġnat + guuq = aġnatguuq, aġnarguuq


• Assimilation; making the sounds more similar

tg → rg

• In Iñupiaq, stops (p, t, ch, k, q) don’t like being next to a consonant which is not from this group.

PhonologyDialectal differences:

Less assimilation

Barrow Kobuk

qavvik qapvik ‘wolverine’

qimmiq qipmiq ‘dog’

minŋiq mitŋiq ‘jump’

•Other dialects in other villages? Wainwright? Nuiqsut?•Differences according to age?•Differences according how you learned Iñupiaq e.g. through writing vs. spoken?•How did Iñupiaq sound 100 years ago?

Phonetics

Phonology

Morphology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Linguistics

Sounds

Grammar

Morphology and Syntax

Holly destroyed the flowers.

Morphology and SyntaxHow are the words built?


-ed = past s = plural

Morpheme: smallest meaning bearing unit• destroy• -ed• -s

Morphology and SyntaxWhat are the function of the words?


Subject Verb Object

• Default word order in English

Morphology and SyntaxDifferent meaning:

The flowers destroyed Holly

Subject Verb Object

• Free word order in Iñupiaq:Simik Stuaqpakmi ittuq

Simik ittuq Stuaqpakmi

*Simik it Stuaqpakmituq

MorphologyHow are the words built?

• Iñupiaq• Swahili• Chukchi

• German• English• Latin

MorphologyHow are the words built?

Polysynthetic and aglutinating languages:• Iñupiaq• Swahili• Chukchi

Less synthetic and more flectional languages:• German• English• Latin

Morphology Iñupiaq Polysynthetic and agglutinative

Much ”info” in verb Morphemes ‘glued’ together

kukiullaniaqtuq kukiu-lla-niaq-tuq ‘he will be able to cook’

Modality Time Person Number Mood Dynamic FUT 3rd SG IND.

Morphology English Less synthetic and more flectional

Less ”info” in verb buy → bought

He eats pesto. He bought the flowers.

Time Person Number Time Pres. 3rd Sing. PAST

Morphology

• Most languages in the world have 4-8 ”pieces of information in the verb”.

Phonetics

Phonology

Morphology

Syntax

Semantics

Pragmatics

Linguistics

Sounds

Grammar

Meaning

Semantics and Pragmatics

Meaning in language

• Word meaning – Semantics

→ what does the sentence mean?

• Meaning in context – Pragmatics

→ what is communicated by uttering the sentence


It is okay that I lay an egg here?


It is okay that I lay an egg here?

• Lay an egg (chicken context?)

vs.• Lay an egg (I’m holding an egg in my hand)

Semantics - ambiguity

Homonymy• Same name• Same form, unrelated

meanings

bear (animal)

bear (carry)

• Look! A bear!• That’s more than I can

bear.

Polysemy• Multiple meanings• Same form,

etymologically related meanings

bat (animal)

bat (for striking a ball)

• Talking about animals• Talking about a base ball

game

Semantics

German • Bank – financial institution• Bank – bench

From Italy: Bench (bank) was the place for money dealing

Semantics

Lexical Ambiguity• Homonomy or polysemy? • Decisions when comliling a dictionary

Dictionary entries:

Polysemy – one entry

Homonymy – two seperate entries

• Related meanings according to history• Is the relation ‘alive’ today?

Semantics

qauqau¹ = forehead

qau² = I’m here, I’m present

Polysemy or homonymy?

SemanticsMetaphorical extensions

Frozen metaphos in English:

foot (on a leg)

foot (of the mountain)

neck (body part)

neck (of the bottle)

More?


• Cross linguistical tendency: names for body parts as source domain for naming other things

• Same tendency in Iñupiaq?• Other tendencies in Iñupiaq?

qau¹ = forehead

qau² = I’m here, I’m present

→ connection or coinsidence? (Homonymy or polysemy/metaphorical extension?)


Source domain Reciever Domain

war vocabulary → argument/discussion vocabularyAttack He attacked my arguments.

Win/loose I won the discussion.

She lost the argument.

Defend She defended her point of view.

• Similar patterns in Iñupiaq?

Semantics

Structural ambiguity


Semantics

Meaning 1


Semantics

Meaning 2:


• Structural ambiguity in Iñupiaq?

Semantics - Modality

• Meaning of modal and evidential expressions

• What does might mean?

• Meanings of the ”corresponding” word may differ even in related languages:


Må jeg komme med?DK Can I come with you?

NO Must I come with you?

Jeg må ha’ chokoladeDK I must have chockolate

NO I must have chockolate

→ what does the world have to be like to utter this sentence?

→ in which situation?

→ which communicative purpose?

→ what has the speaker ”experienced”?


Må jeg komme med?DK Can I come with you? Asking for permission to come

NO Must I come with you? Asking if obliged to go

Jeg må ha’ chokoladeDK I must have chockolate In need for chockolate

NO I must have chockolate In need for chockolate

→ what does the world have to be like to utter this sentence

→ in which situation

→ which communicative purpose

→ what has the speaker ”experienced”?

Semantics – Modality / Evidentiality in Iñupiaq

-palliq- / -valliq- = probably?

Aġnat savakpalliqsutAġnat savak-palliq-sut

woman.pl work-palliq-3.pl.PRES

The women are probably working

• Speaker doesn’t really know• Speaker hasn’t seen the working him/herself• Maybe they are working


• Evidentiality; grammatical encoding of information source

There should be a great party on Saturday.

vs. I have heard that there is a great party on Saturday

Iñupiaq:Aġnat savakturguuq.

• Evidential and modal meaning are closely related• Information source and certainty may often go hand

in hand


Research goals:

• Overview and detailed descriptions of Iñupiaq modal/evidential expressions and how to use them – accessible to learners and teachers of Iñupiaq

• Contribution to the linguistic theories of evidentiality/modality by analyzing the Iñupiaq modal expressions and their meanings – MA thesis in Linguistics

PragmaticsImplicatures

Susan: I don’t like coffee

= No I do not want to go on a date with you


Peter: Would you like to have a coffee some time?

Susan: I don’t like coffee

= No I do not want to go on a date with you


• Knowledge (cultural, social, common etc.) is needed to understand what is communicated through an implicature

• Constructed examples and naturally occuring examples

PragmaticsM: mm.. eeh have you thought about getting a sick note? Do you think you’ll manage to…

P: I maybe need..

M: yeah

P: ..need ... to.. rest

M: mhm

……………………………………………………………………………….M: mm yes.. YES, so you’re here today to have your knee examined

P: yes

M: aaand maybe get a sick note if necessary

PragmaticsFor M to understand that P is communicating that she thinks she need a sick note through saying I maybe need.. need to rest in this context:

• Implicated premise: P has a job. • Implicated premise: If you have a job but think you

maybe need to rest, you may need a sick note.• Implicated conclusion: P thinks he may need a sick note.

→ knowledge of work and rules

PragmaticsImplicatures in Iñupiaq• Are some implicatures used only when speaking Iñupiaq?

• Which knowledge is used to derive and produce implicatures in an Iñupiaq conversation?

• Which knowledge is taken for granted among the speakers to such a degree that this knowledge is used to communicate through implicatures?

• Do speakers of Iñupiaq use different implicatures (draw on different parts of shared knowledge) when speaking Iñupiaq than when speaking English?

Linguistics

• Documentation and Description• Typology (different types, e.g. agglutinating vs. flectional)

• Psycholinguistics (e.g. language aquisition and language learning)

• Language Contact (how do languages spoken in the same area affect each other?)

• Language Ecology (how do languages evolve, creoles and pidgins ”mixed languages”)

• Historical Linguistics (what did Iñupiaq sound like 100 years ago?)

Quyanaqpak!

Please feel free to contact me if you or your family have any questions or comments (e.g., further reading, Linguistics, Scandinavia, suggestions etc.).

[email protected]

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

ReferencesBorthen, K., S. R. Berthelin, G. Thomassen, forthcoming. Om det uuttalte – det relevansteoretiske implikaturbegrepet i møte med autentiske data

Brower, , Ronald Aniqsuaq, ESK F111 Elementary Iñupiaq Eskimo, Class attended at University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fall 2011

Brower, Ronald Aniqsuaq, ESK F211 Intermediate Iñupiaq Eskimo, Class attended at University of Alaska Fairbanks , Fall 2011

Essberger, J. 1999.

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-articles/199909.htm

Kaplan, L. D., 1978. ‘Consonant Assimilation in Inupiaq Eskimo’, in Proceedings of the 4th Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics

Society, pp. 352-35

Lakoff, George and Mark Johnson, 1980. Metaphors we live by. Chicago : University of Chicago Press

Lyons, J., 1995. Linguistic Semantics. Cambridge University Press

MacLean, E. A., 1986. North Slope Iñupiaq Grammar: First Year. 3rd Edition, Alaska Native Language Center, College of Liberal Arts, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Ullmann, S., 1963/1966. ‘Semantic universals’. In Joseph H. Greenberg, ed., Universals of Language (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press), pp. 217-262

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-articles/199909.htm

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