Functional typological approach to Shawi indeterminate pronouns

Abstract

This study describes the formation of indeterminate pronouns in Shawi, which is a class of proforms that can have interrogative, indefinite, and free relative senses. These interpretations are only distinguished through a class of clitics, e.g. ma’=ta (what, relative what), ma’=sha (something), ma=nta (nothing). The first of these can be further modified to ma’ta=ka (rhetorical what) and ma’=tana (whatever). As in other languages, this class of proforms can be categorized into a paradigm in which each member represents a general concept like person (who), thing (what), place (where), time (when), manner (how), etc. Comparing these forms reveals further internal structure. As such, Shawi indeterminate pronouns are analyzed and the clitics that can modify their interpretation are discussed.