Stem alternations in the Brag-bar dialect of Situ Rgyalrong

Abstract

In Rgyalrongic studies, it is believed that the most complex stem alternation system is found in Zbu, a Northern Rgyalrong language, whereas other languages, including Situ, have simpler systems. However, as a dialect of Situ Rgyalrong, Brag-bar presents a complex stem alternation system exhibiting several opaque features in comparison with other Situ dialects. This paper documents the stem alternations in the Brag-bar dialect of Situ Rgyalrong. It first describes the distribution and stem formation devices of different verb stems in Brag-bar, then explains the occurrence of the irregular stem I′/II′ in Brag-bar and investigates their synchronic status.

Rethinking the *-s suffix in Old Chinese: with new evidence from Situ Rgyalrong

“…These two stems originate from phonologically driven unidirectional vowel change to the central grade (I/II CV ́c(C stop )-suf → I'/II' CV ́nc (C stop )): (i) Verbs with an open syllable and a high tone, as well as those with a closed syllable ending in a stop, distinguish Stem I' from Stem I when occurring in non-suffixing Non-Past and Inferential forms (e.g., I sát-suf, I' siɛt 'to kill'); (ii) Verbs with an open syllable and a falling tone may distinguish stem II' from stem II in non-suffixing, Non-Inferential Past forms (e.g., II vá-suf, II' viɛ́'to do'). For a detailed account for inflectional stem alternations see Zhang (2018).…”

Brag-bar kinship system in synchronic and diachronic perspectives

“…In Brag-bar the construct state of a nominal stem is formed by vowel alternations, the vowel in the nominal stem shifts to the corresponding central vowel: i,u→ə, e(iə), o→ɐ, iɛ→a. For details on the vowel structure in Brag-bar, see Zhang (2018). 15 Alternation between i and e is due to lexicalization, as in Japhug -wxti 'large' and tɯ-ji-te 'large farmland'.…”