Klon language

Last updated • 7 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
Kelon
Klon
Native to Indonesia
Region Alor Island, East Nusa Tenggara
Native speakers
5,000 (2008) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 kyo
Glottolog kelo1247
ELP Kelon

Kelon, or Klon, (pronounced [kəlon]) is a Papuan language of the western tip of Alor Island in the Alor archipelago of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. [1]

Contents

Classification

Klon is a member of the Alor–Pantar languages, within the Timor–Alor–Pantar language family. [2] Klon is part of the Alor subgroup along with Abui, Adang, Blagar, Kamang, Kui, Sawila, and Wersing. [2]

Klon is closely related to the Adang language, spoken across Kalabahi Bay to the north. [3]

Phonology

All the information in this section is from Louise Baird's grammar. [1] Klon has 17 consonant phonemes and 13 vowel phonemes.

Consonants

  Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ŋ
Plosive voiceless p t k ʔ
voiced b d ɟ g
Fricative s h
Trill r
Approximant l j w

Aspiration is sometimes produced with voiceless stops. The voiced labio-velar approximant /w/ is infrequently produced as a voiced bilabial fricative [β] by some speakers.

Some of the consonants have a limited distribution. The voiced velar stop /g/ only occurs syllable initially. The voiced velar nasal /ŋ/ only occurs syllable finally. The voiced palatal stop /ɟ/, which only occurs word-finally, in a limited number of words. Some older speakers use the voiced alveolar stop [d] for /ɟ/. The rhotic trill /r/ and the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ occur both syllable finally and syllable initially. They occur word initially in only a few lexical items each. Some of these lexical items are clearly borrowings. The voiced labio-velar approximant /w/ and the voiced palatal approximant /j/ do not occur syllable-finally.

Vowels

Monophthongs

Monophthong phonemes
  Front Central Back
Close i   u
Close-mid e   o
Open-mid ɛ ɛː ə ɔ
Open   a  

The mid-front unrounded vowel /e/ and the open mid back rounded vowel /ɔ/ occur infrequently. Schwa only occurs in unstressed syllables.

Diphthongs

Diphthong phonemes
 Closer component
is front
Closer component
is back
Opener component is unrounded ɛi 
Opener component is rounded ui

Diphthongs occur in both open and closed syllables.

Grammar

Grammatical relations

Klon has split-S alignment. [4] The alignment can be considered agentive. [1] In Klon, the only argument of an intransitive clause (S) is sometimes treated the same as an agent-like argument of a transitive clause (SA=A), and sometimes treated the same as a patient-like argument of a transitive clause (SO=O).

Whether S patterns with A or with O depends on the properties of the S argument, as well as the lexical class of the verb. In one class of verbs, S is coded like A, in another class of verbs S is treated as O, and in the third class of verbs, S can align with A or O, depending on the agentive properties of the S argument. The first verb class, the one which invariably aligns S as A, is the largest class. Only the third class of verbs exhibits fluid S alignment.

For the third verb class, when S has characteristics of an Actor, it patterns like A. When it has characteristics of an Undergoer, (more specifically, when S is an affected participant, but not a volitional and controlling participant) it patterns like O.

The argument of an intransitive may be realized in several ways. A full NP can be used alone, a full NP can be used in combination with a pronoun, or only a pronoun can be used. In all cases the free pronoun is only used with SA arguments, and the bound pronoun with SO arguments. Grammatical relations are not morphologically indicated when arguments are full NPs. Klon has multiple pronominal paradigms. Free pronouns mark A and SA arguments, while bound pronouns indicate O and SO arguments.

In example 1 below, the A argument is indicated by the free pronoun ini, while the O argument instead has the bound pronoun g-.

(1)

Koh

finish

ini

3NSG

awa

again

g-

3UND1-

eh

feed

nang. [1] :31

NEG

Koh ini awa g- eh nang. [1] :31

finish 3NSG again 3UND1- feed NEG

After (that was finished) they didn't feed her any more.

In example 2, the SO argument is indicated with the bound pronoun n-, and the A argument is represented by the free pronoun na.

(2)

Uruut

deer

béq

pig

ma,

come

n-

1SG.UND1-

edan,

scared

na

1SG.ACT

ete

tree

hil

climb

agai. [1] :31

go

Uruut béq ma, n- edan, na ete hil agai. [1] :31

deer pig come 1SG.UND1- scared 1SG.ACT tree climb go

Deer and pig came, I was scared, I climbed a tree.

In example 3, SA is indicated by the free pronoun ini.

(3)

Nang,

NEG

ini

3NSG

hok

IRR

waa

go

nang. [1] :31

NEG

Nang, ini hok waa nang. [1] :31

NEG 3NSG IRR go NEG

No, they didn't go.

Anaphoric co-reference

When co-referring A and SA arguments occur in paratactically conjoined clauses, the argument in the second clause can be either reduced to a pronoun or deleted.

(4)

A

2SG.ACT

A

ne-

1SG.UND4-

O

uur,

see

V

koh

finish

 

bo

SEQ

 

u-

VI-

 

agar. [1] :36

laugh

V

A ne- uur, koh bo ∅ u- agar. [1] :36

2SG.ACT 1SG.UND4- see finish SEQ ∅ VI- laugh

A O V {} {} ∅ {} V

You saw me then (you) laughed.

Similarly, co-referring O and SO arguments which occur in paratactically conjoined clauses allow reduction or deletion of the argument in the second clause.

(5)

Joni

Joni

A

Peter

Peter

O

gin=

3UND3=

O

tendang,

kick

V

koh

finish

 

ho

SIM

 

Louise

Louise

A

awa

again

 

gin=

3UND3=

O

kob. [1] :38

hit

V

Joni Peter gin= tendang, koh ho Louise awa gin= kob. [1] :38

Joni Peter 3UND3= kick finish SIM Louise again 3UND3= hit

A O O V {} {} A {} O V

Joni kicked Peter then Louise hit him (Peter) again.

Word order

The word order of intransitives is SV.

Transitive clauses can have AOV, OAV, or AVO word order. AOV word order disambiguates the A and O arguments when their animacy is equivalent and which argument is which is not otherwise inferrable from context.

Voice

Papuan languages generally lack active-passive voice distinctions. [5] Due to the absence of mention of this topic in Baird's grammar, it is assumed that Klon is a typical Papuan language in this regard.

Valence

Most verbs can occur in intransitive and transitive constructions. Klon speakers seldom use ditransitive clauses. Only the verb en 'to give' is always ditransitive (trivalent). In en constructions, the Primary Undergoer, the recipient, is indicated by a pronominal prefix on the verb; the Secondary Undergoer, the theme, occurs as a full NP.

ex:

Bapak

father

ak

part

n-

1SG.UND1-

en

give

na

1SG.ACT

kde. [1] :35

eat

Bapak ak n- en na kde. [1] :35

father part 1SG.UND1- give 1SG.ACT eat

Dad give me some to eat (lit. I eat).

Valency-decreasing operations

The reciprocal marker t-/to-/tin-/te- indicates that the Actor and Undergoer within a clause are the same referent. Thus, it makes a divalent verb monovalent. The reciprocal marker can only occur with non-singular Actors.

ex:

Gi-

3.POSS2-

man

father

ong

this

kantor

office

mi

be.at

kreyang, [1] :106

work

Gi- man ong kantor mi kreyang, [1] :106

3.POSS2- father this office be.at work

The father worked in an office,

ex:

ini

3NSG

t-

RECP-

riyang

take.care.of

t-

RECP-

muinpuin

care.for

ma,

come

ho

SIM

g-

3.POSS1-

ooi

mother

i

DUR

ebeer.

die

ini t- riyang t- muinpuin ma, ho g- ooi i ebeer.

3NSG RECP- take.care.of RECP- care.for come SIM 3.POSS1- mother DUR die

they took care of each other, until their mother died.

Noun incorporation also decreases valency in Klon.

Valency-increasing operations

The verbal prefix u- increases valency by adding an Undergoer argument. The possible role of the Undergoer includes those of Patient, Theme, Recipient, or Goal.

In the following example, ebeer 'die' has a single Undergoer NP argument doqom 'grandfather'.

(1)

Karel

Karel

aan

2SG.ACT

di

also

ma,

come

de

CONJ

bo

SEQ

na

1SG.ACT

o-

2SG.UND2-

tuub

show

abang

say

Karel

Karel

ong

this

di

also

ge

3.POSSF

dat,

grandchild

aan

2SG.ACT

qada

IPFV

hok

IRR

yeh

CONT

nang,

NEG

bo

SEQ

i-

2SG.POSS2-

doqom

grandfather

ebeer.

die

Karel aan di ma, de bo na o- tuub abang Karel ong di ge dat, aan qada hok yeh nang, bo i- doqom ebeer.

Karel 2SG.ACT also come CONJ SEQ 1SG.ACT 2SG.UND2- show say Karel this also 3.POSSF grandchild 2SG.ACT IPFV IRR CONT NEG SEQ 2SG.POSS2- grandfather die

Karel you also come so that I show you saying Karel here is also his grandchild, you didn't exist yet when your grandfather died [1] :96

In the next example, the Undergoer argument associated with the verb ebeer 'die' is indicated by a third person pronoun verbal prefix, as well as with a full NP Labgei ong 'this Labgei'.

(2)

Wed

now

usong

seven

unu

market

her,

descend

nok

good

de,

CONJ

na

1SG.ACT

wo

that

o-

2SG.UND2-

tmein,

order

de

CONJ

mde,

ascend

de

CONJ

uiliik,

sell

de

CONJ

Labgei

Labgei

ong

this

pi

1NSG.INCL.ACT

g-

3UND1-

ebeer.

die

Wed usong unu her, nok de, na wo o- tmein, de mde, de uiliik, de Labgei ong pi g- ebeer.

now seven market descend good CONJ 1SG.ACT that 2SG.UND2- order CONJ ascend CONJ sell CONJ Labgei this 1NSG.INCL.ACT 3UND1- die

Next week descend to the market and I'll order you to go up and sell so that we can kill this Labegai. [1] :96

Example 3 is similar to example 2, except now only the pronominal prefix is used to indicate the Undergoer.

(3)

Nuk

one

mde

ascend

g-

3UND1-

ebeer

die

g-

3UND1-

ebeer

die

go-

3UND2-

agai

go

man

Mr

leer

ruler

g-

3UND1-

en.

give

Nuk mde g- ebeer g- ebeer go- agai man leer g- en.

one ascend 3UND1- die 3UND1- die 3UND2- go Mr ruler 3UND1- give

One ascended killing them and killing them bringing them and giving them to the ruler. [1] :96

Example 4 is in reference to a story about a grandfather beating his grandchildren if they did not get out of bed early in the morning. The speaker uses the inanimate Undergoer argument haib 'danger', as the reason for dying. Hok 'some', refers to the people who die. The u- prefix is used so that ebeer can take the additional argument haib.

(4)

Ho

SIM

wed

now

a

2SG.ACT

ini

3NSG

gin=

3UND3=

tolong

help

ongo

this

hok

some

haib

danger

u-

VI-

ebeer

die

u-

VI-

ihin

lost

=e

=FOC

nang?

NEG

Ho wed a ini gin= tolong ongo hok haib u- ebeer u- ihin =e nang?

SIM now 2SG.ACT 3NSG 3UND3= help this some danger VI- die VI- lost =FOC NEG

So now you help them like this, do any die from danger or not? [1] :97

The applicative verbal prefix mi- allows an added Undergoer argument as well, but this Undergoer can only be an Instrument.

(5)

Na

1SG.ACT

lam.

walk

Na lam.

1SG.ACT walk

I'm walking. [1] :40

(6)

Na

1SG.ACT

doob

stick

mi-

APPL-

lam.

walk

Na doob mi- lam.

1SG.ACT stick APPL- walk

I use a stick to walk. [1] :40

These two valency-increasing prefixes cannot co-occur on the same verb.

Writing system

The consonant phonemes are written as follows:

All other consonants use the same graphemes as IPA.

The short vowel phonemes are written as follows:

The long vowels are written as double graphemes such as "ee" for /ɛː/.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Baird, Louise (2008). A grammar of Klon: a non-Austronesian language of Alor, Indonesia. Pacific Linguistics 596. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. doi: 10.15144/PL-596 (inactive 2024-09-18). hdl: 1885/146748 . ISBN   9780858835986. OCLC   1075848434.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of September 2024 (link)
  2. 1 2 Holton, Gary; Robinson, Laura C. (2014). "The internal history of the Alor-Pantar language family". In Klamer, Marian (ed.). Alor Pantar languages: History and Typology. Berlin: Language Sciences Press. pp. 155–98. doi:10.17169/langsci.b22.44. ISBN   978-3-944675-48-0.
  3. Robinson, Laura C.; Holton, Gary (2012). "Internal classification of the Alor-Pantar language family using computational methods applied to the lexicon". Language Dynamics and Change. 2 (2): 123–149. doi:10.1163/22105832-20120201. hdl: 11122/1052 .
  4. Klamer, Marian (2008). "Split S in the Indonesian area: forms, semantics, geography". Studies in Philippine Languages and Cultures. 17: 98–120.
  5. Foley, William A. (1986). The Papuan Languages of New Guinea. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   0-521-28621-2. OCLC   13004531.