Documentation

Linglib.Phenomena.Alignment.Studies.Dixon1994

Dixon (1994): Ergativity — typology + Silverstein hierarchy + ditransitives #

@cite{dixon-1994} @cite{dixon-1972} @cite{silverstein-1976} @cite{blake-1994} @cite{comrie-1978} @cite{comrie-2013} @cite{haspelmath-2005} @cite{haspelmath-2021} @cite{bohnemeyer-2004} @cite{sumbatova-2021}

R. M. W. Dixon. Ergativity. Cambridge University Press, 1994. The canonical typological reference for ergative alignment + split ergativity, covering @cite{silverstein-1976}'s prominence hierarchy and @cite{dixon-1972}'s Dyirbal split-ergative analysis.

This study file holds:

  1. The 22-language exemplar sample spanning all five AlignmentType values across the three WALS dimensions (Ch 98/99/100).
  2. Cross-linguistic generalisations including Dixon's NP-vs-pronoun ergativity asymmetry, the absence of reverse-Dixon splits, and the rarity of tripartite/active patterns.
  3. Silverstein's hierarchy as a threshold-based prominence function with monotonicity proven, and the Dyirbal split as a specific instance.
  4. Ditransitive alignment (@cite{haspelmath-2005}): the 6-language indirective/secundative/neutral sample.
  5. Fragment bridges: theorems verifying the per-language alignment classifications match the Fragment grammatical descriptions.
  6. Bridges to Theories/Syntax/Case/Alignment: theorems verifying marksAgent/marksPatient projections agree with the case-assignment functions on canonical S/A/P inputs.

WALS aggregate distribution theorems live in Linglib/Typology/Alignment.lean. Per-language Fragment-vs-WALS data-equality theorems are deliberately absent — see feedback_no_per_lang_wals_grounding_in_studies for the rationale.

English: accusative case marking on pronouns (I/me, he/him), no case on full NPs (neutral), and accusative verb agreement.

Equations
  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
Instances For

    Hindi-Urdu: split-ergative. Ergative case marking (-ne on A) in perfective aspect for both NPs and pronouns. WALS codes the dominant pattern as ergative for NPs, accusative for pronouns. Verb agreement is neutral (agrees with unmarked argument).

    Equations
    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
    Instances For

      Basque: consistently ergative across all three domains.

      Equations
      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
      Instances For

        Dyirbal (Pama-Nyungan, Australia): the textbook case of split ergativity. NPs ergative, 1st/2nd person pronouns accusative. No verb person agreement.

        Equations
        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
        Instances For

          Georgian: active (split-S) alignment determined by verb class.

          Equations
          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
          Instances For

            Tagalog: WALS codes Philippine voice system as neutral.

            Equations
            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
            Instances For

              Japanese: accusative NPs and pronouns; no verb agreement.

              Equations
              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
              Instances For

                Latin: accusative NPs, pronouns, verb agreement.

                Equations
                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                Instances For

                  Russian: accusative across all three domains.

                  Equations
                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                  Instances For

                    Mandarin Chinese: neutral across all three.

                    Equations
                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                    Instances For

                      Turkish: accusative.

                      Equations
                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                      Instances For

                        Tongan (Austronesian): ergative on NPs and pronouns; no verb agreement.

                        Equations
                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                        Instances For

                          Guarani (Tupian): active verb agreement with split-S prefixes.

                          Equations
                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                          Instances For

                            Samoan: ergative NPs (e before A), accusative pronouns.

                            Equations
                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                            Instances For

                              German: accusative.

                              Equations
                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                              Instances For

                                Swahili (Bantu): no case, accusative verb agreement (subject prefix).

                                Equations
                                • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                Instances For

                                  Tibetan (Lhasa): ergative NPs and pronouns; no verb agreement.

                                  Equations
                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                  Instances For

                                    Nez Perce: tripartite NPs and pronouns (distinct nom, erg, acc); accusative verb agreement.

                                    Equations
                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                    Instances For

                                      Finnish: accusative.

                                      Equations
                                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                      Instances For

                                        Warlpiri (Pama-Nyungan): split-ergative — ergative NPs, accusative pronouns; no verb agreement.

                                        Equations
                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                        Instances For

                                          Dargwa (Tanti; @cite{sumbatova-2021}): consistently ergative across all three domains.

                                          Equations
                                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                          Instances For

                                            Yukatek Maya (@cite{bohnemeyer-2004}): aspect-conditioned split intransitivity — perfective triggers ergative-like marking, imperfective triggers accusative-like marking.

                                            Equations
                                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                            Instances For

                                              All 22 alignment profiles.

                                              Equations
                                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                              Instances For

                                                Accusative is the most common alignment for pronouns (@cite{dixon-1994}'s prominence hierarchy prediction).

                                                @cite{dixon-1994}'s generalisation: ergative case marking is more common on full NPs than on pronouns.

                                                Split ergativity (NP-ergative + pronoun-accusative) is attested in multiple languages (Dyirbal, Hindi-Urdu, Samoan, Warlpiri).

                                                The reverse-Dixon pattern (accusative NPs + ergative pronouns) is predicted not to occur. The sample confirms it: whenever pronouns are ergative, NPs are at least ergative too.

                                                Tripartite NP alignment is rare: only Nez Perce in the sample.

                                                Active alignment is rare for case marking: only Georgian in the sample.

                                                Aspect-conditioned split intransitivity (@cite{bohnemeyer-2004}): Yukatek Maya and Georgian both show active verbal person marking.

                                                Languages with ergative NP marking tend to have ergative or neutral verbal person marking (or accusative as a third option).

                                                Four of the five alignment types are attested for verbal person marking; tripartite verb agreement is exceedingly rare cross-linguistically and not represented here.

                                                Neutral NP alignment implies neutral or accusative pronoun alignment (English-style: case survives only on pronouns). Never ergative.

                                                Fully uniform alignment is common (Basque, Mandarin, Latin, Russian, Turkish, Georgian, etc.).

                                                Every language with accusative NP case also has accusative pronoun case in the sample. Accusative does not split across NP/pronoun like ergative.

                                                Languages with no case on NPs do not have ergative NP alignment.

                                                @cite{silverstein-1976} predicts that ergative marking targets the less prominent end of the animacy/definiteness scale. More prominent NPs (pronouns, 1st/2nd person) get accusative treatment; less prominent NPs (full NPs, 3rd person, inanimate) get ergative treatment.

                                                Silverstein's hierarchy: NPs at or above the prominence threshold get accusative alignment; those below get ergative.

                                                Equations
                                                Instances For
                                                  theorem Phenomena.Alignment.Studies.Dixon1994.silverstein_monotone (threshold p₁ p₂ : ) (h_ge : p₁ p₂) (h_acc : silverstein threshold p₂ = Core.AlignmentFamily.accusative) :

                                                  Silverstein is monotone: if prominence p₁ ≥ p₂ and p₂ gets accusative, then p₁ gets accusative.

                                                  Silverstein predicts Dixon's generalisation: with threshold 1, full NPs (prominence 0) get ergative, pronouns (prominence 1) get accusative.

                                                  Equations
                                                  • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                  Instances For
                                                    Equations
                                                    • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                    Instances For
                                                      Equations
                                                      • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                      Instances For
                                                        Equations
                                                        • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                        Instances For
                                                          Equations
                                                          • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                          Instances For
                                                            Equations
                                                            • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                            Instances For
                                                              Equations
                                                              • One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
                                                              Instances For

                                                                Indirective is more common than secundative (parallel to accusative being more common than ergative for monotransitives).

                                                                Theorems verifying that the inline AlignmentProfile entries are consistent with the grammatical facts described in each language's Fragment directory.

                                                                The typology classifier AlignmentType (substrate) and the case-assignment functions _root_.Alignment.X.assignCase (Theories/Syntax/Case/Alignment.lean) are two views of the same alignment dimension. The bridge theorems confirm that the typology's marksAgent/marksPatient Bool projections agree pointwise with what the case-assignment functions actually do on the canonical S/A/P inputs.