A Study of Actual and Non-Actual Motion Expressions in Telugu: A path towards a post-Talmian Motion Event Typology

Abstract

This compilation thesis investigates the expressions of actual and non-actual motion (henceforth AM and NAM, respectively) in Telugu (Dravidian). AM refers to a situation where a physical object moves from one place to another, whereas NAM refers to a context where a motion verb describes a static scene. This semantics-based study is the first of its kind on Dravidian languages in general and Telugu in particular. In this respect, the main aim of this thesis is the detailed examination of the expression of AM and NAM in Telugu, leading to a proposal for a new Post-Talmain framework for studying motion event typology, thus advancing our understanding of semantic typology in general.

Both AM and NAM data were collected from three separate but related experimental studies. Study 1 involved using the well-known wordless picture book Frog, where are you, to elicit the relevant data (AM data). Data for Study 2 was collected using video stimuli (AM data), and, for Study 3, data was collected using pictorial stimuli (NAM data).

Study 1 made a comparative study of motion events in Telugu and Thai, demonstrating a number of serious challenges to and problems with Talmy’s binary typology. Therefore, we need to move beyond the Talmian terrain and enter what could be characterized as the post-Talmian era. In other words, this study sets the tone for a post-Talmian motion event typology, with languages such as Telugu and Thai data serving as case studies for the new proposal. In this new framework, languages are analyzed as belonging to clusters, with each cluster exhibiting specific properties and characteristics and it is further proposed that there are at least 4 possible clusters to which languages can belong. French and Swedish, for instance, represent one cluster each while Thai and Telugu represent the remaining two other clusters respectively, based on the fact that their linguistic encoding of motion is distinct from languages in the other clusters in many respects.

Study 2 supports the proposal presented in Study 1 and empirically establishes the typological features of the fourth cluster to which Telugu belongs according to the post-Talmian motion typology proposed in Study 1. The characteristics of this cluster are frequent use of deictic verbs for MOTION, the predominant use of case markers for PATH, instead of path verbs, a dedicated set of spatial nouns for REGION, violation of the “boundary-crossing constraint”, and adnominal preponderance of coding over adverbal dominance.

Study 3 examines NAM expressions in Telugu within the framework of the newly proposed post-Talmian typology. It establishes a noteworthy similarity between NAM and AM patterns, with the exception of the Manner of motion. This new framework identifies the use of generic deictic verbs for MOTION, case markers for PATH, infrequent use of path verbs, REGION expressing spatial nouns, and adnominal dominance as being common in both AM and NAM events in Telugu. The absence of manner of motion in NAM is in line with the literature and is in accordance with arguments that the encoding of NAM is to be explained by factors that are deeply rooted in human cognition. It is then proposed that these typological features may also be found in other South Asian and agglutinating languages which need to be investigated in future studies. Additionally, Study 3 explores the motivations underlying the use of NAM expressions, providing additional support for a previous claim that NAM is driven by multiple distinct experiences.

In sum, the thesis contributes to the field of motion event typology by proposing a new post-Talmian motion typology, signaling the need for more languages to be explored along these lines to fully validate this relatively new proposal.