Kartvelian morphosyntax : number agreement and morphosyntactic orientation in the South Caucasian languages

Abstract

Georgians seldom encounter non-fluent adult speakers of their native language; if they do, they resort to Russian.They have, therefore, no experience in the art of simplifying their speech so that a foreigner can follow.Shukia is a rare, felicitous exception).While in Tbilisi from September 1985 to June 1986 I met regularly with Shukia and two of her colleagues at the university: Meri Nik'olaishvili and Nani Ch'anishvili.Each provided not only valuable judgments of acceptibility, but also her own perspective on the linguistic problems themselves.Deserving of special mention is Nani's consistently zGaPruli lobio, which contributed significantly to the most rapid weight gain this author had undergone since infancy.In addition to Howie Aronson (chairperson), my dissertation committee comprised two other individuals.Early in my career at the University of Chicago I dove into the celebrated "language and culture" course which Michael Silverstein teaches roughly every other year.This is one of those rare sequences of lectures that is nigh indigestible the first time through (unless you happen to be a second Silverstein), but which becomes, first, comprehensible and, subsequently, valuable as one gains more experience with language.Needless to say, the input Michael provided was extremely useful (to the extent that I digested it correctly), and his influence is reflected throughout the final product.The third committee member, Jerrold Sadock, came on board on short notice, when Jan-Terje Faarlund left Chicago to return to Norway.It was he who clarified for me the notion of morphosyntactic convergence which is so central to this dissertation.Besides the important parts played by Howie, Shukia, Meri and Nani in my acquisition and understanding of Georgian, significant contributions were made by numerous individuals in a variety of settings.While my studies of its grammar began in the classroom, my awareness of the Georgian language as a multi-faceted and supple medium of communication arose in the context of personal contact.Georgians, and -I doubt this is a coincidence -those foreigners who have become involved with the Georgian language, have a real knack for blurring the line between colleagueship and friendship to the point where it ceases to be of relevance;