Voice And Pronominal Forms In Kayan (Uma Nyaving)

Abstract

We provide a description of the basic clausal syntax of the Kayan language of Borneo (Austronesian) as spoken in Uma Nyaving (Sarawak, Malaysia), with particular emphasis on the inventory of voice and pronominal forms and their interactions. We show that this variety of Kayan includes two distinct types of analytic passive constructions, an undergoer voice construction specifically encoding first or second person agent features, and a maximally four-way distinction between pronominal forms. We highlight similarities to voice and pronominal forms in related language varieties of the region, and also discuss the potential historical relationship between different passive marker forms. Uma Nyaving Kayan’s voice and pronominal system exemplifies a profile of grammatical features that have been described as “Central Bornean type.”