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Shilluk, a Northwestern Nilotic language of the Luwo subgroup, has not previously been described as ergative. Using the framework of Dixon (1994), we examine ergative features in Shilluk on the morphological, as well as syntactic, level. Features of morphological ergativity examined include constituent order, constituent marking, pronominal indices, cross-referencing on the verb, the antipassive, and omissibility of arguments. After reviewing these features in independent, non-sequential clauses, we examine them in three types of sequential/dependent clauses. Shilluk proves to be thoroughly ergative in independent clauses, but some ergative features are neutralised in sequential or dependent clauses. The recognition of Shilluk as morphologically ergative is particularly important in light of previous descriptions of the basic ergative sentence as passive. Finally, we consider the ways in which Shilluk is, and is not, syntactically ergative. Although Shilluk is essentially pivotless in coordinate clauses, pronominal reference exhibits minor features of a nominative-accusative system.
Miller et al. (Thu,) studied this question.