Adjective Classes - A Cross-Linguistic Typology

no Alexandra Y. Aikhenvald

SIMILARITY is expressed with the postposition kayu; a postpositional noun
phrase can be transformed into a modifier—see the discussion of tfinu kayu-peni
'the ones who are like dogs' in §3.3. An alternative to this is the use of the stative
verb hiku 'be/look like, appear' as a modifier, e.g. nawiki tfinu hiku-ite (person dog
be.like-NCL.ANiM) 'a person who looks like a dog'.
Terms for 'right' and 'left' are compounds, each with a different structure. The
term for 'left' is a nominalization of the verb 'carry', pa-sole-kema (iMPCR-carry-
THEM:CL.SIDE), lit. side for carrying', while the term for 'right' is a nominalization

TABLE 6. Coding of adjectival concepts in Tariana

Semantic
category

Adjective Stative verbs Nouns Other

DIMENSION

AGE

VALUE

COLOUR

PHYSICAL
PROPERTY

7-»

HUMAN
PROPENSITY

kadua 'be thin', phanida

'be thick, broad',

khesa 'be wide', mhesa

'be narrow', khewaka

'be deep', wyaka 'be far',

yenu 'be tall, high', etc.

heleme 'be soft (e.g.

banana, avocado, mud)',

kai 'be spicy, hot; be

sore', hiwiri 'be cool',

sakamu 'be lukewarm',

hamu 'be hot', hape 'be

cold', haliapiri 'be ripe

(e.g. a garden)', etc.

inasua 'be lazy', harame

'be scared', khesamkana

'be naughty', kapemani

'be ashamed', kawaliku-

peda 'be sorry, upset',

etc.

pedaria,

pedare

'old,

adult (of

humans);

ripe'

from an adverb

meda 'in vain':

medite 'useless'

ka-weni (REL-?)

expensive';

ma-weni cheap'

7

3

2

8