More 'again' readings and more 'again' morphemes: A structural analysis of Kanien’kéha 'again'

Abstract

This paper examines again readings in Kanien’kéha, shining new light on the debate between structural and lexical analyses of again ambiguity. In addition to previously analyzed repetitive, restitutive, and counterdirectional readings, Kanien’kéha has two novel phenomena through which present potential challenges to past analyses. First, Kanien’kéha again gives rise to typologically rare objectless repetitive readings in which a similar event containing the same verb but a different internal argument is presupposed. Second, Kanien’kéha possesses two, co-occurring again morphemes. In investigating these phenomena, I argue that a structural approach most naturally accounts for the Kanien’kéha facts, with one major implication. To account for the availability of objectless repetitive presuppositions under such an approach, I argue for the severing of the internal argument (contra, e.g., Kratzer 1996). With this in place, I propose that a single repetitive operator with variable scope can give rise to the full array of again readings in Kanien’kéha, as predicted by a structural approach.