A GRAMMAR SKETCH AND COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EASTERN MONO

This dissertation has two parts. The first part is a detailed sketch of the grammar of Eastern Mono, a member of the Numic branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family, spoken in the Owens Valley of eastern California. The second part is a comparative study of Eastern Mono and certain other Western Numic languages.

The purpose of the dissertation is twofold. First, its purpose is to provide a description of Eastern Mono and thereby fill an important gap in the knowledge of Western Numic languages, particularly in the areas of morphology and syntax. Second, its purpose is to relate various aspects of Eastern Mono morphology and syntax to the corresponding phenomenon of Western Mono and Northern Paiute, or Paviotso, in a broad comparative study so that some systematic and detailed insight into the characteristic properties of Western Numic languages might be gained.

Where possible, the rough outlines of intermediate stages in the development of Western Numic are suggested. These outlines reflect efforts already made in the reconstruction of Proto-Numic as well as some comparison made between the three contemporary branches of Numic.