Adverbs and operators in Classical Nahuatl grammar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24201/clecm.v12.324Keywords:
clitics, morphology, world class, Functional GrammarAbstract
Traditionally, a heterogeneous group of Classic Nahuatl (nc) morphs has been classified under the label “adverb”. In this paper, I propose to review the criteria for the ascription of this class of words, which will lead me to make a distinction between the class of adverbs and a second class that I will call operators, morphologically constituted by clitics, such as ca=, cuix=, mā=, nel=, a’zo=, mach=, quil=, at=, and ye=. I will focus on this class. I will provide arguments to observe how these operators present a particular syntax that iconically replicates the meaning relations between these elements and the clause. Finally, I will propose some consequences derived from assuming these operators’ existence in other language morphs.
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