riflessivonon

Riflessivonon is a theoretical term used in linguistic typology to describe a class of reflexive constructions that extend beyond the standard reflexive pronouns found in many languages. The term is employed to discuss systems where reflexivity is expressed through multiple forms that can reference various participants or relationships, including core arguments as well as non-core arguments, and sometimes cross-clause readings. It is primarily a descriptive concept invoked to analyze cross-linguistic variation in how speakers mark reflexivity and related notions such as reciprocity or beneficiary involvement.

Typologically, riflessivonon patterns are described as having two main subtypes. Full reflexivization marks the core participant of an event as identical to the agent or patient, using a dedicated reflexive form. Non-core reflexivization, by contrast, marks reflexivity on non-core arguments or even on the verb itself to signal reflexive or reciprocal readings that do not align with the strongest core argument. These systems can interact with other discourse or perspectival features, such as logophoricity or emphasis, in different languages.

Morphology and syntax often involve affixes, clitics, or independent pronouns that attach to verbs or appear as particle-like elements before or after the verb. The resulting binding patterns can extend beyond a single clause and may interact with established principles of binding theory, particularly regarding how reflexivity is constrained within a clause and across clauses. The concept remains primarily a theoretical tool for accounting for data that seem to resist straightforward classification under standard reflexive systems.

See also: Reflexive pronouns, Reciprocity, Binding theory, Cross-linguistic typology.