Verb stem formation and event composition in Oji-Cree

This chapter investigates the structure of the verb stem in Oji-Cree, a dialect of the Algonquian language Ojibwe. It argues that a stem constitutes an independent semantic domain that corresponds to an event. This conception of stems explains why certain roots, called weak roots, must be preceded by modifiers, thereby satisfying a so-called left-edge requirement, while other roots, called strong roots, have no such requirement. Weak roots are semantically deficient and the obligatory pre-radical modifier is necessary to create a complete event. In contrast, an (optional) modifier before a strong root has scope over a complete event. The difference is illustrated by the morpheme /caaki/ ‘all’. When it combines stem-internally, its scope is restricted to internal arguments. However, when it combines stem-externally, it can have a quantificational reading with scope over an external argument. The semantic difference between stem-internal and stem-external composition is also correlated with some phonological differences.