Conclusion

Abstract

Abstract This brief chapter summarizes and integrates the main proposals of the book and places them in a broader context. The following general questions are considered. What synchronic properties must a language have in order for a direct-inverse system to exist, and what diachronic changes must take place in order for those properties to develop? What role does the notion of subjecthood play in understanding the Algonquian inverse? Which aspects of the Algonquian inverse require further investigation in future work? And how, if at all, is the treatment of the Algonquian inverse in this book relevant to language maintenance and revitalization efforts?