the semantics of Dogon noun modifiers determines their effect on noun tones

What is it about?

Shows that one subset of noun modifiers (possessors, adjectives, relative clauses, and demonstratives) control tone overlay on nouns (and intervening modifiers), while others (numerals, nonsingular quantifiers, discourse-markers like 'only', and in most languages definite markers) have no such tonal effect. Identifies the semantic principle involved as reference restriction, i.e. dividing the set of individuals denoted by a noun into referentially eligible and ineligible.

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Why is it important?

The fundamental paper on which subsequent work on Dogon tonosyntax has been based.