A Sign-Based Construction Grammar analysis of ˋˋmiddle'' je- in Paraguayan Guarani

Abstract

Paraguayan Guarani verbs prefixed with je- have ``middle-like'' passive, reflexive, impersonal, anticausative, and autocausative uses. I provide a Sign-Based Construction Grammar (SBCG) analysis showing that je- has a general and minimal argument-reducing function and that lexical semantics and context are jointly and systematically responsible for interpretive effects.