Differential marking of the subject in Timbira languages

This paper aims to examine the phenomenon known as differential subject marking (DSM) in languages of the Timbira group (Je family, Macro-Je stock). The main objective is to investigate the grammatical status of the Case particles {-te} and {-ma}, as well as to understand the syntactic-semantic system that regulates the emergence of DSM in such languages. It is assumed that the particle {-te} marks agent subjects and encode the ergative Case when a transitive verb is in the perfective aspect, while the particle {-ma} encodes the dative Case in subjects when they present the semantic properties [+affected, -control]. As opposed to the ergative Case particle, the dative Case particle is not restrict only to transitive subjects, but can be extended to mark intransitive subjects. Thus, we propose that the emergence of DSM in Timbira comes from the syntactic and semantic distribution of these particles.