Linguistic and Social Variation in the -NDO Affix in Papiamentu

	In Papiamentu, an Afro-Hispanic creole spoken on Aruba, Bonaire,
and Curaçao, the -ndo affix can be added to verbs of Iberian origin to
indicate progressive aspect or a gerund, as in Spanish.  Previous work
mentions the existence of the "recently borrowe d"  form (Birmingham
1971), but none examines factors constraining its distribution (Andersen
1990; Goilo 1953, 1972; Lenz 1928; Kouwenberg and Muysken 1994; Maurer
1998; Munteanu 1991; Wattman 1953; Wood 1972).  Papiamentu has ways of
indicating progress ive and imperfective aspect that predate the
borrowing:  clefting a repeated form of the verbal complex indicates
present progressive aspect; ta and tabata are imperfective TMA markers
(with tabata specifically used for past imperfective) (Goilo 1953). 
Kouwenberg and Muysken (1994) indicate that the relationship between the
various methods of indicating progressive/imperfective aspect is unknown. 
This paper examines 81 Papiamentu texts from 1775-1999 for evidence of
constraints on syntactic distributio n and aspectual interpretation,
stylistic variation, geographic differences in use, and real time change. 
Significant results were found for each of these factors.  As a main verb,
V-ndo must be preceded by a TMA marker (ta or tabata).  In other position
s, V-ndo is permitted, though ta and tabata sometimes co-occur.  The
number of syntactic positions of verbs to which -ndo can be added has
increased over time, as has the frequency of use of the affix.  Finally,
the Aruba dialect uses the affix more frequ ently and with a wider variety
of aspectual interpretations than do the other islands, indicating that
the affix is more integrated into the hispanized Aruba dialect. 

Sources:

Andersen, Roger W.  (1990) "Papiamentu Tense-Aspect, With Special
Attention to Discourse," in Pidgin and Creole Tense-Mood-Aspect Systems. 
John Victor Singler, editor.  John Benjamins Publishing Co.;
Amsterdam/Philadelphia. 

Goilo, E.R. (1972)  Papiamentu Textbook, Fourth Edition.  De Wit N.V.; Aruba.

(1953)  Gramatica Papiamentu.  Hollandsche Boekhandel: Curaçao.

Kouwenberg, Silvia and Peter Muysken (1994) "Papiamentu," in Pidgin and
Creoles: An Introduction, Jacques Arends, Pieter Muysken, and Norval
Smith, editors.  John Benjamins Publishing Co.; Amsterdam/Philadelphia. 

Lenz, Rodolfo (1928) El Papiamento: Lengua Criolla de Curazao.  Balcells &
Co.:  Santiago, Chile. 

Maurer, Philipe (1998) "El papiamentu de Curazao," in Américan negra:
panorámica actual de los estudios lingüisticos sobre variedades hispanas,
portuguesas y criollas, Matthias Perl and Armin Schwegler, editors, with
Gerardo Lorenzino.  Verveut Verlag; F rankfurt am Maim. 

Munteanu, Dan (1996) El Papiamento, Lengua Criolla Hispánica.  Editorial
Gredos, S.A.; Madrid. Wattman, Francine Harriet (1953) Papiamentu
Morphology and Syntax.  Master's Thesis: Cornell University. 

Wood, Richard E.  (1972) "The Hispanization of a Creole Language:
Papiamentu" in Hispania 55.