More than most: comparative constructions in Muna

Abstract

Comparative constructions are an understudied field of research in the regional languages of Indonesia. This paper provides a detailed look at Muna, an Austronesian language of southeast Sulawesi, where there appears to be an unusually large assortment of comparative constructions and lexemes. These include the comparative, superlative and equative degree (all of which are expressed non-morphologically), correlative and ‘let alone’ constructions, as well as various inherently comparative lexemes. Of typological interest are the use of a comitative preposition for the standard marker and the lack of a designated word meaning ‘less’. The wealth of comparative constructions is probably related to various aspects of the Muna culture, including the popularity of competitive games and the traditional social stratification.

Keywords

• austronesian
• comparative