Constructions with the gerund in Kamaiurá

Abstract

In Kamaiurá and in other Tupi-Guaranian languages there are constructions involving two or more verbs in which the second verb appears in a form traditionally called gerund. The gerund constructions are very productive and diverse with different meaning relations and structures. This paper analyzes the constructions in which a verb in gerund appears connected to another verb at the sentence level, excluding those involving particles and textual factors. A description of the constructions is provided as well as evidence that regardless of having some characteristics in common with serial verbs, they exhibit properties that lead us to into question such interpretation.