Pronominal subjects: pronouns in subject position

Category
Simple Clauses - Pronouns and person marking
Notes
Pronominal subjects are free pronouns that occur in the same position as full NP subjects

Languages

Language Feature Status Grammatical Notes Source Etymology Notes General Notes Phylogenetic Code
Cahuilla no
Cupeño
Luiseño no
Serrano no
Kitanemuk no
Kawaiisu no
Timbisha yes
Western Mono no
Chemehuevi yes
Southern Paiute yes
Southern Ute yes
Shoshone yes
Comanche no
Idaho Shoshone
Northern Paiute yes
Gabrielino yes
Achagua yes Wilson & Levinsohn 1992: 23
Resígaro no Allin, 1976: 318
Bare yes Independent pronouns are used more frequently that in other North-Arawak languages Aikhenvald, 1995: 22
Piapoco no Pronominal subjects appear prefixed t verb. Galindo, 2002: 157-159
Yukuna yes There are "complete pronouns" in addition to verbal prefixes, but no examples or indication of their uses. However, no differences are noted in word order for sentences with NP subjects and pronominal subjects. Shauer & Shauer, 1978: 18
Yavitero no Mosonyi, 1987: p. 60-61
Wapishana yes In addition to pronominal prefixes. Do not usually co-occur; prefixes typically occur when there are multiple arguments, rather than just a subject/object. Santos 2006
Wayuu yes No distinction between pronominal subjects and subjects that are full NPs in the sentence structure given in Mansen and Captain (2000). Mansen & Captain, 2000: p. 803
Tariana no Pronouns seem to have special restrictions on their placement, usually preceding the predicate. Aikhenvald, 2003: 565
Apurinã yes Facundes doesn't discuss this directly. However, in a corpus analysis, subjects (both NP and pronoun) were overwhlemingly preverbal. Facundes, 2000: 464, 557
Asheninka Apurucayali no Payne 1982:2324
Maipure yes Zamponi 2003:37
Yanesha' yes Duff-Tripp 1997:61
Kinikinau no info
Baure yes Danielsen 2007:92-6
Nanti no There are free pronouns that can be used, but these are focused pronouns that occur along with a verbal person-marking proclitic, whereas non-focused referential NPs and person-marking on the verb are in complementary distribution. Michael, 2008. p. 345
Paresi no info Rowan 1978, Rowan and Burgess 1979, Brandão 2010
Palikur yes Green and Green 1972:3
Yine no rarely, they are mostly verbal markers Matteson 1965
Añun no normally, subject is marked as prefix on verb Patte 1989
Bora yes However, the pronominal subject can also be an affix on the verb, occuring as a classifier. The recipient would then take an accusative affix in the subject position. Seifart - 2005:52-54
Makiritare yes free pronouns can occur Hall 1988: 281
Makushi yes Abbott 1991: 99-100
Eñepa yes in non-past perfective, only O is referenced on the verb Payne 2012:153
Pemon yes de Armellada 1999:16-25
Guna yes Smith texts
Naso yes may also be attached to V Quesada 2000
Ika yes Frank 1990:25
Kogi no info
Cabecar no info
Guaymí yes Alphonse 1956:8, Quesada 2008:69
Damana yes
Sikuani yes Queixalós 2000
Macaguan yes can occur, can also be marked on verb Buenaventura - 1993
Aguaruna yes Overall 2007:214 However, pronouns usually appear to mark contrast or disambiguate a sentence
Northern Emberá yes Mortensen 1999:43 Catío
Waorani no info
Ingá yes Levinson 1974, 1976, 1976b.
Matses yes Fleck:240
Mapudungun yes Zúñiga 2006, p. 96-9
Páez yes Jung:136-8
Quechua Ayacuchano yes Soto 1976:65
Tikuna yes Montes 2005:135
Urarina yes However, pronouns are usually used to express enphasis Olawsky:213
Waunana yes Loewen 1954:83-84
Andoke no info
Puinave yes Giron 2008: p169
Central Aymara yes Huayhua Pari 2001: 202
Kakua yes Bolaños fieldnotes
Kaingang yes pronoun seems to occupy subject position in examples Goncalves 2011:34
Minica Witoto no no evidence Minor and Minor 1982. p.71-82
Hup yes Epps 2008
Nadëb/Roçado dialect yes Weir 1984
Dâw yes Martins 2004
Desano yes Miller 1999, p. 123
Cubeo yes Morse & Maxwell 1999, p. 142
Kotiria yes Stenzel 2004, p. 217
Makuna yes Smothermon & Smothermon 1993, p.35-36
Koreguaje yes Cook & Criswell 1993, p.31
Barasano yes A personal pronoun is very often a noun phrase in the subject position and is used in the noun phrase to enhance definiteness. Jones & Jones 1991, p.31
Tanimuca no Subject pronouns are usually cliticized and prefixed to the verb. Strom 1992, p.115 Free subject pronouns are always postverbal in negative declaritive sentences.
Siona yes Wheeler - 1970:141
Tukano yes West and Welch 2004: 22; Ramirez 1997
Yanomami yes not obligatory as free pronouns Ramirez 1994: 209-213
Ninam yes not obligatory Goodwin-Gomez, p.47-51
Sanumá yes Borman 1990:149
Surui yes Van der Meer (?):7
Karitiana yes Everett 2006:302
Nheengatu yes Cruz 2011:141
Paraguayan Guaraní yes Ayala 1996:28-9
Aché yes Rossler 2008:74
Kokama yes Vallejos 2010
Nyangumarta yes 1
Jingulu yes 1
Wambaya yes 1
Bunuba yes 1
Walmajarri yes 1
Nyulnyul yes 1
Warrwa yes 1
Worrorra yes examples throughout 1
Garrwa yes examples throughout 1
Gooniyandi yes 1
Warlpiri yes 1
Bardi no 0
Yugambeh
Yorta Yorta yes 83, 104 1
Yir Yoront
Yindjibarndi yes cf text 6, sentence 1 (203) 1
Yidiny yes 1
Yanyuwa yes 12 1
Yandruwandha yes 47 1
Yan-nhangu
Yalarnnga yes 1
Woiwurrung no 73-74 0
Wirangu yes 73-4 1
Wemba-Wemba no H 50-51 0
Warumungu yes 55 1
Wangkumara yes r26 1
Uradhi Yes 352 1
Paakantyi yes 156, 159-160 1
Pitta-Pitta yes 214 1
Pintupi yes 103 1
Nyungar no info x
Nhanta yes 1
Ngiyambaa yes 88 1
Ngayawang yes 10 1
Muruwari yes 91 1
Mpakwithi
Mayi-Yapi yes 53-54, 64 1
Martuthunira yes 100-109 1
Marrgany yes 335 1
Kuuk Thaayorre Yes 216 1
Kuku Yalanji yes 1
Kugu-Nganhcara yes 397 1
Kaurna yes 16 1
Kalkatungu yes? cf 43 (3.37 and 8) 1
Jaru no info 211-2 x
Guugu-Yimidhirr yes 65 1
Gureng Gureng no info x
Gupapuyngu
Gumbaynggirr yes 342 1
Gugu-Badhun yes 1
Yuwaalaraay Yes 51 1
Dyirbal yes 291 1
Duungidjawu yes 52 1
Djinang Yes 136 1
Djabugay
Diyari yes 1
Dharuk
Dharawal yes 49-50 1
Darkinyung yes 28 1
Bularnu no info 87 x
Biri yes 23-7 1
Bidjara-Gungabula yes 1
Batyala Yes 3 1
Arabana yes examples throughout 1
Alyawarr yes 129 1
Nyikina yes 1
Yawuru
Ngarinyin
Yulparija Yes 29 1
Wathawurrung yes 76 1
Mathi-Mathi yes 91 1
Hunter River and Lake Macquarie yes 45 1
Thanggati yes 81 1
Katthang yes 63-65, 106 1
Panyjima yes 156-159 1
Ngarinyeri yes 43 1
Kurrama yes cf 76, 3.1 1
Yingkarta yes 1
Githabul yes 42 1
Gunya yes 335 1
Kunjen No 92 0
WesternTorres yes examples throughout 1
Wakaya yes 1
Yindjilindji yes 509 1
Bandjalang yes 106 1
Ngaatjatjara No 55 0
Arrernte Yes 101 1
Kokatha Yes 65 1
Karajarri No 227 0
Pitjantjatjara Yes Y 22 1
Ritharrngu Yes 43 1
Warrgamay Yes 45 1
Warluwarra yes 1
Warnman Yes 13 1
Djapu yes 51-2 1
Bilinarra yes 1
Wiradjuri no info x
Aghu-Tharnggala Yes 67 1
Narungga Yes 74 1
Tharrkari Yes 16 1
Wajarri Yes 77 1
Warungu yes 452 1
Adnyamathanha
Yagua no almost always Set I clitics Payne and Payne 1990:361
Baniwa yes Ramirez 2001