Collaborative Research: Documentation and Analysis of the Chickasaw Verb [cic]

奇卡索语（ISO 639-3代码：[cic]）是一种严重濒危的语言，在马斯科基语家族中，大约有70个流利的第一语言使用者。马斯科基语有非常复杂的动词，特别是在它们的形态学（单词结构）和音系学（声音系统）的交集方面。契卡索语的韵律很复杂，有长元音、双元音、喉音（在声门附近收缩产生的辅音）、音高重音、鼻音化和节奏延长，所有这些都与丰富的形态学相交，包括前缀、后缀和一个被称为动词音阶的复杂的内部变化系统。这个项目将研究马斯科语动词的这些元素。动词的形态很容易因语言的流失而丢失，因为所有的马斯科基语要么高度濒危，要么不再使用，所以现在记录动词信息是很重要的。该项目是位于俄克拉荷马州阿达的奇卡索语言振兴计划（CLRP）和德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校之间的独特合作。UT Arlington的语言学家Colleen Fitzgerald和CLRP主任Joshua Hinson设计了一个文档项目，它将增加我们对奇卡索语动词的理解，并提供一个相当大的动词数据库，包括动词的数量和每个动词的屈折形式的数量。这个项目将收集动词的范式和连接词（如叙述）。分析范式将增加对马斯科基语语言结构的认识，这在理论上对语言学很重要。记录和分析文本将记录奇卡索人的传统知识和经验，这对土著语言的振兴至关重要。

Chickasaw (ISO 639-3 code: [cic]), is a severely endangered language in the Muskogean family, with 70 or so fluent first language speakers remaining. The Muskogean languages have extraordinarily complex verbs, especially with regard to the intersection of their morphology (word structure) and phonology (sound system). Chickasaw is prosodically complex, with long vowels, geminate consonants, laryngeals (consonants produced with constriction near the glottis), pitch accent, nasalization and rhythmic lengthening, all of which intersect with a rich morphology that includes prefixes, suffixes and an elaborate system of internal changes known as verb grades. This project will investigate these elements of Muskogean verbs. Verb morphology is vulnerable to loss through language attrition and since all of the Muskogean languages are either highly endangered or no longer spoken, it is important to document the verb information now.The project is a unique collaboration between the Chickasaw Language Revitalization Program (CLRP) located in Ada, Oklahoma, and The University of Texas at Arlington. Linguist Colleen Fitzgerald of UT Arlington and CLRP Director Joshua Hinson have designed a documentation project that will increase our understanding of the Chickasaw verb and make available a significantly-sized database of verbs, both in number of verbs and in the number of inflected forms per verb. This project will collect verbs in paradigms and connected speech (e.g. narratives). Analyzing paradigms will increase knowledge of Muskogean verbal structure, theoretically important for linguistics. Documenting and analyzing texts will record Chickasaw speakers' traditional knowledge and experiences in context, essential to indigenous language revitalization.