Díízìn pronouns and demonstratives

Abstract

Díízìn is one of the least studied Omotic languages of Southwest Ethiopia. It has three main dialects (Central, Eastern, and Western Díízìn). The main objective of the study is to describe and document the Díízìn pronouns and demonstratives. Data were collected from native speakers through group discussion and observation. In addition, secondary data sources were reviewed. Basic linguistic theory (BLT) was employed as the analytical framework. Díízìn has two separate sets of subject and object pronouns. The language has three tonal systems: high, level and low tones as in kwóy ‘bridge,’ kwōy ‘mother,’ and kwòy ‘guinea hen.’ In this study, the high (  ́) and the low (  ̀) tones are marked; the unmarked tone is the level tone. The language has seven subject and object pronouns, which distinguish three persons: first, second, and third. It also marks singular, dual, and plural distinctions. Of these, the dual person distinction is a unique feature of Díízìn. A masculine- feminine distinction is made only in the third person singular.  Díízìn demonstratives indicate two basic distance contrasts: 1) near vs. far 2) far vs. very far. Accordingly, the language has two basic demonstrative forms that express proximal (Prox) and distal (Dis) in every direction (i.e., vertical and horizontal including higher and lower altitudes). Within the distal category, there are three sub distinctions: far, very far (visible), very far (invisible). Directional demonstratives are inflected for number, definiteness, and gender as nouns or adjectives. Additionally, different demonstratives are used to express elevation contrasts (lower vs. higher altitude). Demonstratives are productive in Díízìn.  That means, they indicate the relative distance of an object, location, or location of a speaker at different positions.