Reflexive and Reciprocal Elements in Ixil

Abstract

Reflexives and reciprocals in Ixil, a Mayan language of Guatemala, appear to have features which distinguish them from reflexives surveyed in typological studies such as Faltz 1985 and Geniusiene 1987. Third person reflexives and reciprocals seem to have the form of a possessed noun optionally followed by a possessor NP. Moreover, reflexives occur only as direct objects, as subjects of copulative clauses, and in constructions derived from transitive verbs. Evidence for that analysis is presented, with a description of reflexives and reciprocal elements in Ixil.