SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This thesis presents an analysis of the phonology and the grammar of the Guajajara language, each in turn being described within a hierarchical framework. Following a general introduction to the Guajajara people and language, (Chapter One), and an account of the transcription employed, (Chapter Two), a theoretical introduction to the analytical framework of the study and a summary of the hierarchies, are found in Chapter Three. Chapters Four to Seven describe the phonological hierarchy, starting with the largest unit, the Span, (Chapter Four) and working down through successively smaller units, the Foot (Chapter Five) and the Syllable (Chapter Six) to the smallest ones, Consonants and Vowels. Chapters Eight to Fourteen describe the grammatical hierarchy. The Sentence, and specially the favourite sentence, is dealt with in Chapter Eight, verbal and Nominal Units in Chapters Nine and Ten respectively, other units of phrase rank in Chapter Eleven, and Particles in Chapter Twelve. Chapter Thirteen describes non-favourite sentences, and Chapter Fourteen, constructions larger than the sentence. Theoretical conclusions are drawn in Chapter Fifteen, and a parsed text presented in Chapter Sixteen. The thesis ends with a bibliography, both of general linguistic works, and of works relating to the Guajajara people and language, and with an index and a key to the abbreviations used.