ASPECTS OF BANGIME PHONOLOGY, MORPHOLOGY, AND MORPHOSYNTAX

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Indiana University, Linguistics, 2013This dissertation provides a description of aspects of the phonology, morphology, and morphosyntax of Bangime. Bangime is a language isolate spoken in the Dogon language speaking area of Central Eastern Mali. Although the Bangande, the speakers of Bangime, self-identify with the Dogon, their language bears practically no resemblance to the surrounding Dogon languages. Bangime has limited productive morphological processes whereas Dogon languages are agglutinating, with productive morphemes to indicate inflectional and derivational verbal and nominal processes. Bangime has a complex tonal system. General tendencies of the tonal patterns are described, with the many exceptions which frequently occur also outlined. Nominal tonal melodies are apparent in plural forms. Objects in verb phrases receive tonal agreement with tones on the verb in accordance with the subject of the sentence. The tense, aspect, and mood system of the language is also complicated. Inflectional marking on the verb, auxiliaries, and the word order of the sentence all contribute to the indication of the tense, aspect or mood of the sentence. An overview of these multifaceted phonological and morphological processes is provided in this dissertation with hypotheses as to how the language may have evolved

Bangime: secret language, language isolate, or language island? A computer‐assisted case study

We report the results of a qualitative and quantitative lexical comparison between Bangime and neighboring languages. Our results indicate that the status of the language as an isolate remains viable, and that Bangime speakers have had different levels of language contact with other Malian populations at various points throughout their history. Bangime speakers, the Bangande, claim Dogon ancestry. The Bangande portray this connection to Dogon through the fact that the language has both recent borrowings from neighboring Dogon varieties and more rooted vocabulary from Dogon languages spoken to the east from whence the Bangande claim to have come. Evidence of multilayered long‐term contact is clear: lexical items have even permeated even core vocabulary. However, strikingly, the Bangande are seemingly unaware that their language is not intelligible with any Dogon variety. We hope that our fiindings will influence future studies on the reconstruction of the Dogon languages and other neighboring language varieties to shed light on the mysterious history of Bangime and its speakers

Short grammar of Tiefo-N of Nyafogo (Gur, Burkina Faso)

short grammar of Tiefo-N, Tiefo of Nyafogo, Burkina FasoNational Science Foundation, Documenting Endangered Languages programhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139024/1/Heath Ouattara Hantgan Short Grammar Tiefo N reduced.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/139024/2/Heath Ouattara Hantgan Short Grammar Tiefo N reduced.docxDescription of Heath Ouattara Hantgan Short Grammar Tiefo N reduced.pdf : book in pdf formDescription of Heath Ouattara Hantgan Short Grammar Tiefo N reduced.docx : original .docx fil

Aspects of Bangime Phonology, Morphology, and Morphosyntax

This dissertation provides a description of aspects of the phonology, morphology, and morphosyntax of Bangime. Bangime is a language isolate spoken in the Dogon language speaking area of Central Eastern Mali. Although the Bangande, the speakers of Bangime, selfidentify with the Dogon, their language bears practically no resemblance to the surrounding Dogon languages. Bangime has limited productive morphological processes whereas Dogon languages are agglutinating, with productive morphemes to indicate inflectional and derivational verbal and nominal processes. Bangime has a complex tonal system. General tendencies of the tonal patterns are described, with the many exceptions which frequently occur also outlined. Nominal tonal melodies are apparent in plural forms. Objects in verb phrases receive tonal agreement with tones on the verb in accordance with the subject of the sentence. The tense, aspect, and mood system of the language is also complicated. Inflectional marking on the verb, auxiliaries, and the word order all contribute to the indication of the tense, aspect or mood of the sentence. An overview of these multifaceted phonological and morphological processes is provided in this dissertation with hypotheses as to how the language might have evolved

The Abstract Nature of the Bondu Vowel System: Evidence from [ATR] Harmony

The Abstract Nature of the Bondu Vowel System:  Evidence from [ATR] Harmon

Bangime: secret language, language isolate, or language island?

We report the results of a qualitative and quantitative lexical comparison between Bangime and neighboring languages. Our results indicate that the status of the language as an isolate remains viable, and that Bangime speakers have had different levels of language contact with other Malian populations at different time periods. Bangime speakers, the Bangande, claim Dogon ancestry, and the language has both recent borrowings from neighboring Dogon varieties and more rooted vocabulary from Dogon languages spoken to the east from whence the Bangande claim to have come. Evidence of multi-layered long-term contact is clear: lexical items have even permeated even core vocabulary. However, strikingly, the Bangande are seemingly unaware that their language is not intelligible with any Dogon variety. We hope that our findings will influence future studies on the reconstruction of the Dogon languages and other neighboring language varieties to shed light on the mysterious history of Bangime and its speakers

C(60)-Fullerenes: detection of intracellular photoluminescence and lack of cytotoxic effects

We have developed a new method of application of C(60 )to cultured cells that does not require water-solubilization techniques. Normal and malignant cells take-up C(60 )and the inherent photoluminescence of C(60 )is detected within multiple cell lines. Treatment of cells with up to 200 μg/ml (200 ppm) of C(60 )does not alter morphology, cytoskeletal organization, cell cycle dynamics nor does it inhibit cell proliferation. Our work shows that pristine C(60 )is non-toxic to the cells, and suggests that fullerene-based nanocarriers may be used for biomedical applications

The Mechanical Properties of Individual, Electrospun Fibrinogen Fibers

We used a combined atomic force microscope (AFM)/fluorescence microscope technique to study the mechanical properties of individual, electrospun fibrinogen fibers in aqueous buffer. Fibers (average diameter 208 nm) were suspended over 12 μm-wide grooves in a striated, transparent substrate. The AFM, situated above the sample, was used to laterally stretch the fibers and to measure the applied force. The fluorescence microscope, situated below the sample, was used to visualize the stretching process. The fibers could be stretched to 2.3 times their original length before breaking; the breaking stress was 22·106 Pa. We collected incremental stress-strain curves to determine the viscoelastic behavior of these fibers. The total stretch modulus was 16·106 Pa and the relaxed, elastic modulus was 6.7·106 Pa. When held at constant strain, electrospun fibrinogen fibers showed a fast and slow stress relaxation time of 3 and 56 seconds. Our fibers were spun from the typically used 90% 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol (90-HFP) electrospinning solution and resuspended in aqueous buffer. Circular dichroism spectra indicate that alpha-helical content of fibrinogen is ~70% higher in 90-HFP than in aqueous solution. These data are needed to understand the mechanical behavior of electrospun fibrinogen structures. Our technique is also applicable to study other, nanoscopic fibers