Manual of comparative linguistics
Шрифт:
2.1. PAI Method
2.1.1. PAI method background
A. P. Volodin pointed on the fact that all languages can be subdivided into two sets by the parameter of presence/absence of prefixation: one group has prefixation and the other has not (Volodin 1997: 9).
The first set was conventionally named set of “American type” linear model of word form 7 .
According to Volodin American type linear model of word form is the following:
7
This type of linear model of word form is named “American type” since it has been described mainly on the material of Native American languages (especially of North America)
(p) + (r) + R + (s).
The second one was conventionally named set of “Altaiс type” linear model of word form 8 .
According to Volodin it is the following:
(r) + R + (s)
(p – prefix, s – suffix, R – main root, r – incorporated root; brackets mean that corresponding element can be absent or can be represented several times inside a particular form).
Volodin supposed that there was a border between two sets and that languages belonging to the same set demonstrate certain structural similarities. Also he supposed that typological similarities could probably tell us something about possible routes of ethnic migrations.
8
This type of linear model of word form is named “Altaiс type” since this linear model has been described mainly on the material of languages of so called Altaic stock.
2.1.2. PAI hypothesis development
Having got Volodin’s notion about two types of linear model of word form, I for quite a long time thought that there was a pretty strict water parting between languages that have prefixation and those that have not. For instance, I seriously thought that Japanese had no prefixes and tried to consider all prefixes of Japanese as variations of certain roots, i.e. as components of compounds; until one day I finally realized that so called “variations of roots” actually could never be placed in nuclear position and so they all should be considered as true prefixes, so strict dichotomy was broken and I had to elaborate new theory.
As far as any language actually has some ability to make prefixation so there is no strict border between languages with prefixation and languages without prefixation and we should give up ideas of strict subdivision of all existing languages into two sets that have no intersection.
Hence thereupon, linear model of word forms have the following structures:
(P) + (R) + r + (s) – linear model of word form of American type;
(p) + (r) + r + (S) – linear model of word form of Altaic type.
Capital letters are markers of positions that are used more than positions marked by small letters.
Thereby, there is no principal structural difference between languages of American type and Altaic type, difference is in degree of manifestation of certain parameters and so, in order to our conclusion will not be speculative, we should speak about degree of prefixation producing ability / prefixation ability degree / prefixation ability index, i.e.: of certain measure of prefixation.
I suppose that each language has its own ability to produce prefixation and that this ability doesn’t change seriously during all stages of its history.
Also I suppose that prefixation ability demonstrates itself in any circumstances, i.e.: it is manifested by any means: by means of original morphemes existing in a certain language or by borrowed morphemes.
If a language has certain prefixation ability it is shown anyway. That’s why I don’t make difference between original and borrowed affixes.
Also for current consideration is not principal whether this or that affix is derivative or relative: if we take into account relative affixes only, then, for instance, Japanese is a language without prefixes.
That’s why we should define prefixes not by its derivative or by its relative role but by its positions inside word form, prefix is any morpheme that meets the following requirements:
1) it can be placed only left from nuclear position;
2) it never can be placed upon nuclear position;
3) between this morpheme and nuclear can’t be placed any meaningful morpheme with its clitics (i.e.: between nuclear root and prefix can’t be placed a meaningful morpheme with its auxiliary morphemes).
I am specially to note that there are no so called semi-prefixes. If a morpheme can be placed in nuclear position it is meaningful morpheme and any combinations with it should be considered as compounds.
Thus can be resumed the following:
1) Each language has its own ability to produce prefixation and this ability doesn’t change seriously during all stages of its history.
2) Prefixation ability is manifested by any means: by means of original morphemes existing in a certain language or by borrowed morphemes. That’s why the method doesn’t suppose distinction between original and loaned affixes.
3) Genetically related languages are supposed to have rather close values of Prefixation Ability Index.
2.1.3. PAI calculation algorithm
How Prefixation Ability Index (here and further in this text abbreviation PAI is used) can be measured?
Value of PAI is portion of prefixes among affixes of a language.
Hence, in order to estimate portion/percentage of prefixes of a certain language we should do the following:
1) Count total number of prefixes;
2) Count total number of affixes;
3) Calculate the ratio of total number of prefixes to the total number of affixes.
Why is it important to count total number of prefixes and then calculate the ratio to the total number of affixes but not to estimate PAI by frequency of prefix forms in a random text?