Discontinuous lexemes, as seen in German and Dutch separable prefix verbs, expand the definition of lexemes beyond just words or roots and stems.
The distribution of meaning across different elements in a phrase, like in Cherokee, Apache, and Ashaninka-Kampa languages, highlights the importance of considering the entire structure rather than individual words.
Deep dives
Expanding the Definition of Lexemes in Germanic Languages
In German and Dutch, there are separable prefix verbs like 'ankomen' and 'anfangen' where the prefix part gets shunted to the end of the phrase or can be separated by other words. These verbs demonstrate discontinuous meaning or discontinuous lexemes by expanding the definition of lexemes beyond just words or roots and stems.
Discontinuous Meaning in Cherokee and Ashaninka-Kampa Languages
In Cherokee and Apache languages, the meaning of a verb is not confined to its verb stem, but is combined with various prefixes located at the far left end of the verb. Likewise, in the Ashaninka-Kampa language, a single question word, 'tikka', when combined with different light verbs, can convey different meanings such as who, when, where, and why. These examples demonstrate the distribution of meaning across different elements in a phrase, emphasizing the importance of considering the entire structure rather than individual words.
William tells us how lexemes need not be one continuous word or morpheme, using his characteristically exotic examples (and some not so exotic. Top of Show Greeting: fangait Links and Resources: Navajo Verb Template Asheninca Campa
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