Beyond the transitive prototype: Bodily-condition predications in Emai

We assess transitivity prominence from the perspective of its periphery for an Edoid language of Nigeria. Emai exhibits a set of simple verb predications that assume a two-position transitive shape and express a bodily condition or an abstract condition. They permit a human participant in one position and a body-part noun or abstract noun in the other. They deviate from the transitive prototype, whose two participants exhibit meanings that are maximally distinct: a volitional instigator vs. a non-volitional entity showing material effect. Deviation is evident in the failure of participant distinctness and failure of material effect. Only the general condition on two-participant form remains of the transitive prototype. We also consider whether bodily-condition predications might belong to a grammatical domain other than transitivity. Copulas in Emai are considered since English translation of most examples employ a form of BE. There are five copula constructions. Their frames are not a match. None of their restrictions hold for bodily/abstract condition predications. We conclude by considering whether nominals other than those for body parts or abstractions can contribute to loss of the asymmetric force-
dynamic relationship between participants that is central to the transitive proto-
type.