Datapoint Papiamentu/Distance contrasts in demonstratives

Strictly speaking, Papiamentu does not have demonstratives. Adverbials aki (here), ei (there), aya (yonder), postposed to a definite noun, receive a demonstrative interpretation. Birmingham (1970: 57) considers prenominal e to be the reduced form of es, hence a remnant of the lexifier's prenominal demonstrative. However, the putative full form es is largely restricted to written Papiamentu, and it is doubtful that speakers differentiate synchronically between a definite article e and a prenominal demonstrative e. However, a remnant es occurs clearly in the pronominal demonstratives (see Feature 32 "Pronominal and adnominal demonstratives").

Values

Three-way contrast

Example 47-20:
e buki aki/ e buki ei/ e buki aya/ e bukinan aki/ e bukinan ei/ e bukinan aya
e
def
buki
book
aki/
here
e
def
buki
book
ei/
there
e
def
buki
book
aya/
yonder
e
def
buki
book
nan
pl
aki/
here
e
def
buki
book
nan
pl
ei/
there
e
def
buki
book
nan
pl
aya
yonder
this book/ that book/ that book yonder/ these books/ those books/ those books yonder

Source: Goilo 1972: 30

Example 47-63:
Ela papia tokante e asuntu ei.
El
3sg
a
pfv
papia
speak
tokante
concerning
e
def
asuntu
matter
ei.
dem.nprox
S/he spoke concerning that matter.

Source: Maduro 1971: 25

Confidence:
Very certain