Marc Brunet Apr 22, 2015:

from speculations to ...commitment! (2/2) NB: I realise that 'contrast' (X AND Y) works syntactically, whereas 相対 denotes a paradygmatic 'opposition'(X XOR Y). However, right now I do not have an easy-to-read Adj to render the latter notion smoothly; so for now, I have worded this by adding the term 'pair'to reduce the gap between the notion conveyed in the source so as not to switch the referand from the NP's head ('categories') to its attribute ('oppositions/contrasts'). Doing so would cloud up the clarity of the point made. Test this yourself using the following:
i/ "categorical oppositions" (is ambiguous anyway)
ii/"oppositions between categories" (correct term but messy reasoning)
Both i/ and ii/ cloud up point's clarity
iii/ "oppositional categories" is correct both in lexical and logic terms, a bit pedantic or obscure perhaps, but could suit the style of your source! and you might prefer that option... but .. your choice and scope for creativity :-)

Marc Brunet Apr 22, 2015:

from speculations to ...commitment! (1/2) The more I read this in the light of your background info, the more I am inclined to take 相対範疇 as a simple generic term rather than a reference to some highly specialised linguistic function. This gives me the following:

"There are all sorts of allomorphs, some of which fall into a number of classes, others that are irreductible stand-alone instances, but all of which, when found in compound forms or phrases, give rise to [a whole range of] contrastive pairs of categories, so to speak."

Nicholas Hallsworth (asker) Apr 22, 2015:

Hi Marc,

Thanks for your hard work in researching this. I don't want to close it, it must be the proz site saying that automatically. I am still carefully considering the points you've given and trying to figure out how to settle it as I complete the conclusion of the paper. I'll let you know my thoughts soon. Thanks again. Nick

Marc Brunet Apr 21, 2015:

Epilogue? (3/3) You note: 付属形式 is a connective morpheme, but there is confusion about their actual functions in the literature. For example \"gi\" has been called an \"imperfect aspect marker\" an unaccomplished form or an \"imperfect tense aspect marker.\"
My response: the above link sees a 'connective' more as a 'conjunction' than as a Vb grammatical attribute...
But you seem about to close this assignment as 'Done'. If so, let us know how you solved 相対範疇 to your satisfaction and what you settled for. Cheers and best of luck in your final chase. :-)

Marc Brunet Apr 21, 2015:

Epilogue? (2b/3) Coming from a Japanese linguist, this conclusion ("different nuances with different Vb glosses') is no surprise. The traditional culture is highly 'particularistic', tends to go for and organise the complex object of their focus in a rich range of 'concrete' cases; 'abstraction' does not come spontaneously. Yet, a meta-level of linkage is possible between these apparently different nuances, I believe. But the author's viewpoint must be served even if you disagree with it of course.

Marc Brunet Apr 21, 2015:

Epilogue? (2/3) You note: From what I can make of it, 不定形 are indeterminate forms, but this is a name the author has given them. [...] But the author is focusing on the verb+connective morpheme form, which he calls \"不定形.\"
My hunch: for 不定形, have considered "allomorph(s)" (ex> English tense marker "u" or "a" in gloss "RxN", "OVERxN", etc...). But the nuance you pointed to later is not simply referring to 'grammatical tense or even aspectual tense'; it highlights a perspective from human experience and culture: an aspect -- here of 'continuity' (of the 'wheel cycle' of life and death'), but since it is embodied in grammar, just as Japanese marks relative social ranking by suffixing Aux (Vb-て)やる/あげる,etc...) to transactional Vb glosses, "allomorphs" would be justified IMHO.

Marc Brunet Apr 21, 2015:

Epilogue? (1/3) Gleaning for unfamiliar concepts of linguistic expression, perusing a list of linguistic tools identified in a vast range of languages, and how specialists name them, define them, and organise these tools could turn out as a gold mine and put us on the track, it seems to me.
http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/
From the following, a focus on "Grammatical relations" and "semantic roles" could be worth a look, re: 相対範疇. http://www-01.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/...

Nicholas Hallsworth (asker) Apr 20, 2015:

So these 不定形 combine with different aux verbs to form different functions. For example ′ŋää –baa-laa ′ğagaa la ˋšaa-ba ree. 私の父はインドでなくなりました In this sentence, which uses the ba 不定形 with ree aux xpresses a kind of "lasting influence" includes the nuance that the speaker’s father is no longer in this world and that the life of the speaker changed since his death. But each 不定形 combines with different aux verbs to produce different nuances. By the way, verbs can combine with aux verbs without forming the 不定形. These are the two types of verbal predicates in Tibetan..... Almost finished this 35,000 paper written in 1960s now. It's been hard work. Thanks for all your help!

Nicholas Hallsworth (asker) Apr 20, 2015:

From what I can make of it, 不定形 are indeterminate forms, but this is a name the author has given them. 付属形式 is a connective morpheme, but there is confusion about their actual functions in the literature. For example "gi" has been called an "imperfect aspect marker" an unaccomplished form or an "imperfect tense aspect marker." But the author is focusing on the verb+connective morpheme form, which he calls "不定形." 独自 is basically independent or idiosyncratic simply meaning that it doesn't fall into one of those group (I think). 終助詞 close to the Japanese, I think, I've been translating it as sentence-ending particle.

Marc Brunet Apr 20, 2015:

Nick. how about you tell us first (and with analogous examples of your own, from any language but with approximate English renderings, if possible) as much as you can make out of this passage other than 相対範疇？...in particular :
不定形　as: informal form? indeterminate form? indefinite form? other?
付属形式 as: derivate form?　alias?
独自 as: idiosyncratic? non-standard? Other?
終助詞 : used to express what?
a) some interactive function (an emphasis (Japanese よ・わ・ぞ)? or a response prompt (Malay-Cantonese 「, la.」)?
or b) some unit of meaning completing that of a Vb (whether grammatically (Mandarin 'completion/perfect' aspect 「来。」; or semantically (English Vb+up/down/off) )
c) something else?