Anaphoric System of Kuching-Malay: An Alternative View of the Local Reflexives in Malay

We will outline the pronominal and reflexive system of an underdescribed language, Kuching-Malay, which has a problematic element, or pseudo-reflexive like the other Malay dialects to the binding theory. We argue that, while it seems that Kuching Malay has a three-way system of pronouns, reflexive anaphors and pseudo-reflexives, in reality it is only a two-way system consisting of only pronouns and pseudo-reflexives. In this way, true reflexives are analyzed as being composed of pseudo-reflexive and sEndiri ‘alone’ and its behavior is deduced to the properties of pseudo-reflexives and the agent oriented element sEndiri.