A Grammar of Thakali
Dan Raj Regmi, Ambika Regmi & Omkar Prasad Gauchan
Tribhuvan University; Tribhuvan University
This grammar explores sensory motor-codes (viz., phonological) and grammatical codes in Thakali within adaptive approach and compares them with those in other West Bodish languages from typological perspective. Besides, it shades light on the empirical adequacy of the approach.
Thakali employs segmental phonology including tones to code 'words' at conceptual lexicon and morphology, intonation and word order as morpho-syntactic devices to code atomic proposition and discourse. As a Bodish language, Thakali shares most of the coding devices with other West Bodish languages. Except tone, Thakali shares the phonological features with Chantyal. In number marking, Thakali is very close to Ghale, Magar Kaike and Western Tamang. Both Gurung and Thakali shares benefactive marking. There is almost the same pattern of inclusivity marking in Thakali, Gurung and Nar-Phu. Honorificity is displayed in Tamang, Nar-Phu and Thakali. In interrogative marking, Thakali, Nar-Phu and Chantyal share many features. Thakali shares many features of the complex constructions with other Bodish languages. However, it remarkably differs from other West-Bodish languages in terms of some language specific coding devices governed by the factors: cultural, developmental and communicative. In terms of egophoricity and marking dependent (viz., modifiers) in the noun phrase Thakali stands distinct from other members of West Bodish. The structural tendencies (viz., rules) so far explored in Thakali are in congruent with the empirical adequacies: descriptive, pragmatic, cognitive, typological and explanatory as proposed in the adaptive approach to grammatical analysis.
The co-author, Dr. Dan Raj Regmi, is Professor and former Head, Central Department of Linguistics, Tribhuvan University, Nepal.
The co-author, Dr. Ambika Regmi has worked as the senior researcher in Linguistic Survey of Nepal (LinSuN), Central Department of Linguistics, Tribhuvan University, Nepal.
The co-author, Mr. Omkar Prasad Gauchan, is a senior politician, social worker and language activist of Nepal.
ISBN 9783969390122. Languages of the World/Materials 513. 216pp. 2020.
