RICE UNIVERSITY A Grammar of Matses by David William Fleck A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE Doctor of Philosophy APPROVED, THESIS COMMITTEE: _______________________________ Philip W. Davis, Committee Chair Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Linguistics _______________________________ Spike Gildea, Thesis Director Associate Professor of Linguistics University of Oregon _______________________________ Masayoshi Shibatani Deedee McMurtry Professor of Humanities _______________________________ Stephen A. Tyler Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Anthropology and Linguistics _______________________________ James E. Copeland Professor Emeritus of Linguistics and German HOUSTON, TEXAS MAY 2003