Marcação diferencial do sujeito em línguas do grupo Timbira

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the status of the particles {-te} and {-mã}, which are used as Case markers, in two languages of the Timbira group. It shows that these particles are associated to non-structural Case marking in these languages, once they mark subjects of transitive verbs under very specific conditions, as followed: the particle {-te} marks ergative Case on the subject when a given action verb is in the perfective aspect, in other words, accomplished actions always require ergative subject; the particle {-mã} marks dative Case on the subject whenever it has the properties [+AFFECTED, -CONTROL], suggesting it is indeed inherent Case. This last Case marking is not restricted to transitive subjects, but can also mark intransitive subjects that have those properties. This leads us to the other aim of this research, which is to investigate the intransitive split subjects that occur in the languages, following verbal semantic and aspectual parameters. Ultimately, it was verified that the Timbira languages exhibit differential subject marking, since its complex Case system conforms to regular parameters of Case attribution either to transitive subjects as to intransitive subjects. Data from Parkatejê and Apaniekrá languages, part of Timbira group, were analyzed in other to accomplish those aims.