Research

If you would like a copy of something that is not available here, please send me an email.

Book 

  • 2013 – Jessica Coon. Aspects of Split Ergativity. New York: Oxford University Press. [OUP link]

Journal articles, book chapters, and proceedings papers (by year)

to appear

  • Coon, Jessica and Martina Martinović. Predication, specification, and equation in Ch’ol. To appear in Proceedings of NELS 53.

2024

2022

  • Royer, Justin, Pedro Mateo Pedro, Elizabeth Carolan, Jessica Coon, and Matal Torres. ‘Atz’am k’ik’ atz’am: The story of Xuwan and a grammatical sketch of Chuj.’ Tlalocan, XXVII: 215–286. [link]
  • Keine, Stefan, Will Oxford, and Jessica Coon. Person restrictions depend on nominal overt agreement, not nominal licensing. In Proceedings of NELS 52. 

2021

  • Jessica Coon and Stefan Keine. Feature Gluttony. In Linguistic Inquiry, 52, 4: 655–710. [link]
  • Jessica Coon, Nico Baier, and Theodore Levin. Mayan Agent Focus and the Ergative Extraction Constraint: Facts and Fictions Revisited. Language, 97, 2: 269–332. [link]

2020

  • Juan Jesús Vázquez Álvarez and Jessica Coon. Headless relative clauses in Ch’ol. In Headless Relative Clauses in Languages of Mesoamerica, eds. Ivano Caponigro, Harold Torrence, and Roberto Zavala. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [link] 
  • Jessica Coon and Justin Royer. Nominalization and selection in two Mayan languages. In Nominalization: 50 Years on from Chomsky’s Remarks, eds. Artemis Alexiadou and Hagit Borer, 139–168. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [link]
  • Jessica Coon. The linguistics of Arrival: Heptapods, field linguistics, and Universal Grammar. In Language invention for linguistics pedagogy, eds. Jeffrey Punske, Amy Fountain, and Nathan Sanders, 32–48. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [pre-print PDF]

2019

  • Jessica Coon. Building verbs in Chuj: Consequences for the nature of roots. Journal of Linguistics 55, 1: 35–81. [link]
  • Stefan Keine, Michael Wagner, and Jessica Coon. 2019. Hierarchy effects in copula constructions. Canadian Journal of Linguistics. [link]
  • Alan Bale, Jessica Coon, and Nicolás Arcos López. Classifiers, partitions, and measurements: Exploring the syntax and semantics of sortal classifiers. Glossa: A journal of general linguistics, 4, 1: 1–30.
  • Scott AnderBois, Miguel Oscar Chan Dzul, Jessica Coon, and Juan Jesús Vázquez Álvarez. Relativas libres en ch’ol y maya yucateco y la tipología de cláusulas relatives sin núcleo. In Proceedings of FAMLi V, eds. Ryan Bennett, Robert Henderson, and Pedro Mateo Pedro. [link]
  • Jessica Coon & Clint Parker. Case interactions in syntax. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Oxford University Press. [link]

2018

  • Lauren Eby Clemens and Jessica Coon. Deriving verb initial word order in Mayan. Language 94, 2, 237–280. [link]
  • Robert Henderson & Jessica Coon. Adverbs and variability in Kaqchikel Agent Focus: A reply to Erlewine (2016). Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 36, 1: 149–173. [link]
  • Coon, Jessica. Distinguishing adjectives from relative clauses in Chuj (With help from Ch’ol). In Heading in the Right Direction: Linguistic Treats For Lisa Travis. ed. Laura Kalin, Jozina van der Klok, and Ileana Paul, 90–99. McGill Working Papers in Linguistics. [PDF]
  • Lauren Clemens & Jessica Coon. Prosodic constituency of verb-initial clauses in Ch’ol. In Proceedings of WSCLA 21, eds. Megan Keough et al., 88–100. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia. [link]
  • Working Group on the Role of the University in Supporting Indigenous Languages (Member). ‘Bridging communities and universities through language engagement: A vision for university engagement in the maintenance, revitalization, and strengthening of Indigenous languages.’ [PDF; Symposium Website]

2017

  • Jessica Coon. Little-v agreement and templatic morphology in Ch’ol. Syntax, 20, 2: 101–137. [link]
  • Jessica Coon, Stefan Keine, Michael Wagner. Hierarchy effects in copular constructions: The PCC corner of German. In Proceedings of NELS 47. ed. Andrew Lamont and Katerina Tetzloff, 205–214. Amherst, MA: GLSA [link]
  • Jessica Coon and Omer Preminger. Split ergativity is not about ergativity. In the Oxford Handbook of Ergativity, ed. Jessica Coon, Diane Massam, Lisa Travis, 226–252. New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Jessica Coon. Ch’ol. In The Mayan Languages, eds. Judith Aissen, Nora England, and Roberto Zavala, 648–684. New York: Routledge. [PDF]
  • Mateo Pedro, Pedro and Jessica Coon. Chuj Oral Tradition Collection of Pedro Mateo Pedro and Jessica Coon. The Archive of the Indigenous Languages of Latin America ailla.utexas.org. Access: public. PID ailla:119647
  • Coon, Jessica. Two types of ergative agreement: Implications for case. In A Pesky Set: Papers for David Pesetsky, ed. Claire Halpert, Hadas Kotek, and Coppe van Urk, 361–370. Cambridge: MITWPL. [PDF]
  • Jessica Coon and Elizabeth Carolan. Nominalization and the structure of progressives in Chuj Mayan. Glossa: a journal of general linguistics, 2, 1: 22.[link]

2016

  • Jessica Coon. Mayan morphosyntax. Language and Linguistics Compass, Special Issue: Mayan Linguistics, 10, 10: 515–550. [link]
  • Ryan Bennett, Jessica Coon, and Robert Henderson. Introduction to Mayan Linguistics. Language and Linguistics Compass, Special Issue: Mayan Linguistics, 10, 10: 455–468. [link]
  • Jessica Coon. Unergatives, antipassives, and the status of roots in Chuj. In Proceedings of CILLA VII, Austin, TX: AILLA
  • Jessica Coon, Little-v agreement: Evidence from Mayan. In CLS 50: Proceedings of the 50th Meeting of the Chicago Linguistics Society.

2015

2014

  • Jessica Coon, Pedro Mateo Pedro, and Omer Preminger. The Role of Case in A-Bar Extraction Asymmetries: Evidence from Mayan. Linguistic Variation, 14, 2: 179–242 [link]
  • Alan Bale and Jessica Coon. Classifiers are for numerals, not nouns: Consequences for the mass-count distinction. Linguistic Inquiry 45, 4: 695–705. [link]
  • Jessica Coon and Alan Bale, The interaction of person and number in Mi’gmaq. NordLyd, 41, 1: 85–101. [link]
  • Jessica Coon, Predication, tenselessness, and what it takes to be a verb. In NELS 43: Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistics Society, ed. Hsin-Lun Huang, Ethan Poole, and Amanda Rysling, 77–90. [PDF]

2013

  • Jessica Coon. TAM Split Ergativity (Parts I–II). Language and Linguistics Compass, 7, 3: 171–200. [link, pre-published]
  • Elise McClay, Erin Olson, Carol Little, Hisako Noguchi, Alan Bale, Jessica Coon, and Gina Cook. Using technology to bridge the gap between speakers, learners, and linguists. In Proceedings of the Seventeenth Conference of the Foundation for Endangered Languages (FEL XVII), 199–200.
  • Jessica Coon and Omer Preminger. Transivitiy in Chol: A New Argument for the Split VP Hypothesis. In NELS 41: Proceedings of the 41st Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistics Society, ed. Lena Fainleib, Nicholas LaCara, and Yangsook Park, 127–142. [PDF, pre-published]
  • Jessica Coon and Maayan Adar. Ergativity. In Oxford Bibliographies in Linguistics, ed. Mark Aronoff. New York: Oxford University Press. [link]

2012

  • Jessica Coon. Split Ergativity and Transitivity in Chol. Lingua 122, special volume Accounting for Ergativity, ed. Itziar Laka and Beatriz Fernández: 241–256.
  • Jessica Coon and Omer Preminger. Towards a Unified Account of Person Splits. In WCCFL 29: Proceedings of the 29th West Coast Conference on Formal Linguistics, ed. Jaehoon Choi, 310–318. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Press. [proceedings link]

2011

  • Jessica Coon and Pedro Mateo Pedro. Extraction and embedding in two Mayan languages. In Proceedings of FAMLi 1: Formal Approaches to Mayan Linguistics, ed. Kirill Shklovsky, Pedro Mateo Pedro, and Jessica Coon, 93–104. Cambridge, MA: MIT Working Papers in Linguistics, volume 63.
  • Jessica Coon and Robert Henderson. Two Binding Puzzles in Mayan. In Representing Language: Essays in Honor of Judith Aissen, ed. Rodrigo Gutiérrez Bravo, Line Mikkelsen, and Eric Potsdam, 51–67. University of California, Santa Cruz: Linguistic Research Center. [online]

2010

  • Jessica Coon. Complementation in Chol (Mayan): A Theory of Split Ergativity. Doctoral dissertation, MIT, Cambridge, MA. [link]
  • Jessica Coon. Rethinking Split Ergativity in Chol. International Journal of American Linguistics 76, 2: 207–253.
  • Jessica Coon. VOS as Predicate Fronting in Chol Mayan. Lingua 120:345–378.
  • Jessica Coon. A biclausal analysis of aspect based split ergativity. In WSCLA 2009: Proceedings of the Workshop on Structure and Constituency of Languages of the Americas, ed. Heather Bliss and Raphael Girard. Vancouver, BC: UBC Working Papers in Linguistics, volume 26.

2009

  • Gillian Gallagher and Jessica Coon. Distinguishing Total and Partial Identity: Evidence from Chol. Natural Language and Linguistic Theory 27, 3: 545–582.
  • Jessica Coon. Comments on Austronesian Nominalism: A Mayan Perspective. Theoretical Linguistics 35, 1: 73–93.
  • Jessica Coon. Interrogative Possessors and the Problem with Pied-piping in Chol. Linguistic Inquiry 40, 1: 165–175.
  • Jessica Coon and Gillian Gallagher. Similarity and correspondence in Chol roots. In NELS 38: Proceedings of the 38th Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistics Society, ed. Anisa Schardl, Martin Walkow, and Muhammad Abdurrahman, 203–216. Amherst, MA: GLSA.
  • Jessica Coon and Andrés Salanova. Nominalization and Predicate Fronting: Two Sources of Ergativity. In PLC 32: Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Penn Linguistics Colloquium, ed. Laurel MacKensie, 45–54. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics 15.1. [PDF]
  • Jessica Coon and Omer Preminger. Positional roots and case absorption. In New Perspectives in Mayan Linguistics, ed. Heriberto Avelino, Jessica Coon, and Elisabeth Norcliffe, 35–38. Cambridge, MA: MIT Working Papers in Linguistics 59. [PDF]

2008

  • Jessica Coon. When ergative = genitive: Nominals and split ergativity. In WCCFL XXVII: Proceedings of the 27th West Coast Conference on Formal Linguistics, ed. Natasha Abner and Jason Bishop, 99–107. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.

2006

  • Jessica Coon. Existentials and negation in Chol Mayan. In CamLing: Proceedings of the Fourth University of Cambridge Conference in Language Research, ed. Charles Chang, Esuna Dugarova, Irene Theodoropoulou, Elina Vilar Beltrán, and Edward Wilford, 51–58. Cambridge: Cambridge Institute of Language Research. [PDF]

2004

  • Jessica Coon. Nominal constructions and split-ergativity in Chol Mayan. In BLS 30: Proceedings of the 30th Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, ed. Marc Ettlinger, Nicholas Fleischer, and Mischa Park-Doob, 34–45. Berkeley: Berkeley Linguistics Society.

 Volumes edited