Barai clause junctures : toward a functional theory of interclausal relations

Abstract

Barai is a Papuan language of the Koiarian family of languages in the Oro and Central Provinces of Papua New Guinea. Perhaps the most striking feature of Barai and indeed of Papuan languages generally is their profuse chaining of: clause and clause~like structures to form sentences of considerable length. These clause chains have steadfastly resisted analysis in terms of some of the most basic linguistic constructs such as the subject, the clause, transitivity, and subordination.

As a result, in this study we have attempted to set aside, to some degree at least, our biases regarding the categorial structure of language and focus our attention on form as it exists in the morphology and syntax of this particular language. Similarly, we do not expect that function should be heavily prescribed in terms of universal absolutes. Clearly, there are universals both in terms of forms and the function of those forms, but if language is indeed a tool of social interaction, it becomes imperative that we strive to capture the particular variety of cooperative structured linguistic activity that a given speech community uses.