Don’t feel obligated, lest it be undesirable: the relationship between prohibitives and apprehensives in Papapana and beyond

Abstract This paper analyses the preverbal morpheme te, used in both apprehensive ‘precautioning’ sentences and one of two prohibitive constructions Papapana (papa1265, Austronesian, Oceanic; Papua New Guinea). I aim to establish whether there is a diachronic relationship between functions te , which direction, how why semantic change may have occurred. requires consideration synchronic differences prohibitives, comparisons with other Oceanic languages, an investigation languages where morphemes are formally similar/identical. argue that diachronically related, but not polysemous, meaning developed from via insubordination. supports Pakendorf, Brigitte & Ewa Schalley’s proposed pathway development possibility prohibition, apprehension warning. However, their does not, as claimed, run counter grammaticalisation path deontic epistemic modality, because prohibitives arguably deontic. contributes growing body research on apprehensives, demonstrates prohibition perhaps rare Pakendorf Schalley thought, language modality.