The Phonology and Morphosyntax of the Mehináku Arawakan language

• Grant number: 19/02662-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: August 16, 2019
• End date: February 15, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Linguistics - Linguistic Theory and Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Angel Humberto Corbera Mori
• Grantee: Paulo Henrique Pereira Silva de Felipe
• Supervisor: Patience Epps
• Host Institution: Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem (IEL). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Texas at Austin (UT), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/18391-4 - Phonology and Morphosyntax of Meniháku (Arawakan)language., BP.DR

Abstract

This research project aims to give continuity to the phonological and morphosyntactic description of the Mehináku (Arawak) language. We intend to refine and deepen the analyses already made in Brazil, especially in relation to the morphosyntax of the language, which from the point of view of the linguistic description does not have any type of more in-depth analysis. We also intend, during the doctoral period abroad, to refine the analyses we have already conducted on phonology, especially with regard to nasality and accent in Mehináku. We believe that the gains from the exchange will be very significant, since the University of Texas has one of the largest libraries in the world on Amerindian studies, the 'Benson Latin American Collection', where a database with materials from many indigenous languages, including several Arawak languages, is available, which may facilitate linguistic comparison with the Mehináku language. In addition, the research will be overseen by Dr. Patience Epps, who is a leading expert on South American indigenous languages, with extensive knowledge and scientific production in the field.