Clausal Complementation in Mising

What is it about?

This paper investigates clausal complementation in Mising, an Eastern Tani (TB) language spoken in Assam, India. It examines finite and non-finite complement clauses, analyzing their grammatical structures and underlying conceptualizations. Mising employs at least four complementizers (one finite, three non-finite), while some complement clauses appear without overt complementizers. Each of these constructions exhibits distinct semantic properties. While primarily descriptive in nature, this study incorporates insights from Cognitive Linguistics. Our analysis suggests that finite complementation aligns with an objective perspective, where the speaker views the complement event as external and distinct. Conversely, non-finite complementation aligns with a subjective perspective, reflecting a closer involvement of the speaker in the complement event. These two perspectives are associated with different conceptual viewing arrangements.

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Why is it important?

This study is significant because no detailed syntactic analysis has been carried out on the Mising language before. Although Mising is a stable and vital language, it remains largely understudied and underdescribed. Moreover, no previous research has examined its grammar from a modern linguistic perspective.