The Irrealis Category in rGyalrong
摘要
This study offers fresh evidence for reality status as a cross-linguistic gram-type from rGyalrong (Tibeto-Burman, northwestern Sichuan), where it is a full-fledged, uniformly marked inflectional category. The irrealis verb form comprises a non-past verb stem plus the prefix ë- (IRR1) in combination with a perfectivity-marking orientation prefix (IRR2). Aside from occurring in prototypical contexts of irrealis semantics, verbs in the irrealis denote differential actualizing potentials between ordinary imperative and future (realis) versus postponed imperative, jussive, and dubitative future (irrealis). Also explored is a realis verbal formation sharing a particular chunk of irrealis morphology, namely the prefix ë-, which once may have served a unified function of marking the speaker’s attenuated assertion. Close parallelisms between divergent dialects of rGyalrong establish irrealis as a pan-dialectal morphosyntactic trait with deep roots in the rGyalrong language.