Abstract Switch-reference has been analyzed as a reference tracking mechanism, whose main function is to avoid ambiguity of reference. One domain where this function has been argued to manifest itself is referential choice. Kibrik (Kibrik, Andrej. 2011. Reference in discourse. Oxford: Oxford University Press) notably proposed that switch-reference marking plays the role of a referential aid, which helps to prevent referential conflict, thereby enabling the production of reduced referential expressions such as pronouns and zeros. The present study probes this theory through an analysis of the role of switch-reference marking in multifactorial models of referential choice in Mbyá Guaraní. We show that while switch-reference increases the likelihood of mention reduction in Mbyá Guaraní, this effect is marginal relative to other predictors of referential choice. We argue that this result is compatible with the analysis of switch-reference as a referential aid, but also supports analyses that emphasize the multiplicity of its functions, beyond the disambiguation of reference.

中文翻译：

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切换参照及其在姆比亚瓜拉尼叙事中参照选择中的作用

摘要 Switch-reference被分析为一种参考跟踪机制，其主要作用是避免参考的歧义。这一功能被认为表现出来的一个领域是指称选择。Kibrik (Kibrik, Andrej. 2011. Reference in discourse. Oxford: Oxford University Press) 特别提出切换引用标记起到指称辅助的作用，这有助于防止指称冲突，从而能够产生简化的指称表达，例如代词和零。本研究通过分析开关参考标记在 Mbyá Guaraní 参考选择的多因素模型中的作用来探索这一理论。我们表明，虽然 switch-reference 增加了 Mbyá Guaraní 提及减少的可能性，相对于参考选择的其他预测因素，这种影响是微不足道的。我们认为，这一结果与作为参考辅助的开关参考分析兼容，但也支持强调其功能多样性的分析，超越参考的消歧。