Revisiting Relativization Asymmetries in Philippine-Type Symmetrical Voice Languages

Abstract

This paper proposes an accessibility hierarchy for relativization via the gap strategy in languages with a Philippine-type symmetrical voice system. A signature property of the Philippine-type symmetrical voice system is the presence of voice morphology on the verb that selects one of the elements as syntactically prominent. Using a grammaticality judgment task, native speakers of five languages exhibiting Philippine-type symmetrical voice (Pangasinan, Western Subanon, Blaan, Tagalog, and Cebuano) were consulted on the acceptability of relativization of various arguments in the different voice types. The findings showed that in all five languages, the pivot argument is the most accessible element for relativization using the gap strategy. Yet, two of the languages surveyed also allowed the relativization of the non-pivot agent. The preliminary findings suggest a Pivot > Non-Pivot Agent accessibility hierarchy for symmetrical voice languages. The implications of these findings are discussed.