Cross-linguistic parallels and contrasts in a contact language perfect construction

Abstract

This paper is about semantically and pragmatically comparable perfect constructions in the contact languages Sri Lankan Malay (SLM) and Sri Lankan Portuguese (SLP). The goal of the paper is to show that non-finite participles based on a conjunctive participle model in the Sri Lankan linguistic area convey perfect meaning and also combine with a semantically empty auxiliary to form a periphrastic perfect construction in main clauses. Irrespective of the similarities, the separability of the auxiliary and the negation facts associated with the SLM construction are suggestive of biclausal status, whereas the SLP construction is simply agglutinative and monoclausal.