Nominal purposive constructions in Wapishana and Taruma

Abstract The Indigenous languages of South America employ varying strategies for nominal purpose-marking; for instance, the markers used in this construction include benefactive case (in Macushi, see Abbot 1991 ) and possessives (in Lokono, see Pet 2011 ), but also specifically purposive adpositions (Kokama-Kokamilla, see Vallejos 2010 ). In this paper, I analyze and compare nominal purpose marking in two languages which are in close contact: Wapishana (Arawakan) and Taruma (unclassified). In Wapishana, the morpheme used in this construction is a TAM marker for non-present tense or irrealis mood which also functions as a nominalizer (dos Santos 2006 ; WLP 2000 ). I argue that the nominal purposive construction is essentially the subordination of a nominal predicate. The Taruma data stemming from recent fieldwork shows that the marker in question functions as a purposive marker and might also be a subordinator.