A FIRST LOOK AT CHEN (KONYAK) ARGUMENT AND CLAUSE STRUCTURES

Abstract

Chen (Bodo-Konyak-Jingphaw, Tibeto-Burman) is an undocumented language of the Konyak ethnic group. It is spoken in northeast India and northwest Myanmar. This article provides a first description of the Chen simple argument and clause structures. Chen argument structures include both noun phrases and pronouns, which can both take case markers. Other noun phrase modifiers include demonstratives, possessors, adjectives, nouns, a plural marker, quantifiers, and gender markers. Chen adjectives are formed from attributive forms in combinations of ʔa-V-pe, ʔa-V, V-pe, and ho-V. The pronoun inventory includes personal, interrogative, and demonstrative pronouns. Simple clauses exhibit SOV word order and include intransitive, transitive, ditransitive, attributive, and copula constructions.

Keywords

• tibeto-burman
• bodo-konyak-jingphaw
• konyak
• chen (kyan)