Applicative Constructions in the Northwest Caucasian languages (original) (raw)
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Applicative verbs and applicative construction in the Bantik language
2012
This paper aims to describe applicative verbs and applicative constructions in Bantik, a West Malayo%Polynesian language spoken in North Sul awesi, Indonesia. The applicative prefix paN% is attached to ‘double%voiced’ verb bases, that is , verbs which have two voice forms. Double%voiced verbs in Bantik take two argu ments, and when the prefix paN% is attached they take one more argument, a nominal denoting either location or instrument.
2024
Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is a standardised variety of Malay. The language has two suffixes, -i and -kan, which can attach to verbs and function as applicative morphology: in each case, the suffix causes the argument array of the verb to be modified and it is the non-subject arguments which are affected. Both suffixes also have other functions; in one case the suffix is extensively used also as a causative morpheme. Indonesian has some features of a symmetrical voice system, and undergoer subject constructions are more common than passives in English, for example. Applicative constructions interact with the voice system; in particular, in some cases the applicative possibility is preferred in undergoer voice. For one suffix (-kan), it is not uncommon for the morpheme to appear but for the preposition introducing what would be expected to be an applied argument to be retained. In light of these various complications, we suggest that applicatives in Indonesian are best understood as constructions with characteristics, some more prototypical than others, which can be manipulated to accommodate syntactic and pragmatic factors.
The End of Argument Structure, 2012
This paper presents an applicative analysis of Slovenian ditransitive sentences containing a dative and an accusative object, with the goal of contributing new data to the applicative research as well as examining the potential of the syntax-driven approach to the matter.
The role of applicative morphology in marking the telicity of applicative verbs in Ruruuli-Lunyala
International Journal of English and Literature, 2020
This study examines the role of the morphology of applicatives in marking the telicity of applicative verbs in Ruruuli-Lunyala. Applicative verbs in Bantu languages have largely been investigated as allowing a new object Noun Phrase (NP) within the subcategorization of their base verb; this leads to a change of valency with the new Noun Phrase (NP) often giving a certain thematic role. However, less attention has been put on the role of the applicative in supporting the notion that argument projection may be aspectually determined. All applicative verbs in Ruruuli-Lunyala can be used with specialised overt telicity markers kakyarumwei 'completely' / 'very'/ 'a lot' and were 'for nothing'. The research findings indicate an interesting relationship between these degree modifiers and applicative morphology. Thus, applicative verbs can be classified into two types, namely atelic and non-atelic applicative verbs. The post-verbal 'applied object' position /applicative adverbial position can be called the 'applied constituent position'.
Polysemy and the applicative verb construction in Chishona
2001
This thesis explores the semantic and syntactic properties of the Chishona applica¬ tive construction. In particular, it explores the possibility of providing a polysemous analysis of the different semantic interpretations associated with the applicative suf¬ fix. Applicative verbs in Bantu languages have been principally analysed as performing one function: to increase the valency of a verb, typically transitive, whose intro¬ duced argument is generally interpreted as a benefactive. Such an analysis does not, however, tell the whole story about the function of the applicative suffix, but rather less attention has been given to the semantic/pragmatic relation that exists between the applicative verb and its corresponding non-applied verb or between the applied construction and alternative constructions that involve adjunct phrases. The prin¬ cipal problem in making such comparisons is that there exist applicative objects that are not interpreted as benefactives. Within the Bantu lan...
Noun-Modifying Clause Constructions in Languages of Eurasia
Typological Studies in Language, 2017
Noun-Modifying Clause Constructions in Languages of Eurasia: Rethinking Theoretical and Geographical Boundaries (NMCCLE) is a volume in the Typological Studies in Languages series (series editors: Spike Gilda and Fernando Zúñiga) edited by Yoshiko Matsumoto, Bernard Comrie, and Peter Sells, three renowned linguists whose collective expertise spans broad aspects of cross-linguistic research. NMCCLE is a product of their nearly decade-long collaborative project that involved numerous contributors who are experts in various Eurasian languages and have different theoretical backgrounds. It offers a rich array of in-depth studies on the varied properties of noun-modifying clause constructions (NMCCs) in the languages under consideration, based on the general noun-modifying clause construction (GNMCC) proposed as a new category of language property. Their investigation is also unique in that the Japanese GNMCC serves as a "yardstick" for examining NMCCs in other languages. Clausal noun-modifying constructions, which are commonly observed across various languages, have attracted wide attention in linguistic research. Over the last four decades at least three major proposals on the examination of clausal noun modification have been put forward: Keenan and Comrie's (1977) noun phrase accessibility hierarchy (NPAH), Matsumoto's (1997) frame-semantic approach to analyzing Japanese noun-modifying constructions, and the crosslinguistic investigation of clausal noun modification using the category of GNMCC proposed in NMCCLE. Among the different types of noun modification, relative clauses are a wellresearched area. Based on their typological investigation of over 50 different languages, Keenan and Comrie (1977) proposed the NPAH, which suggests that there is a markedness order of different relative clause types that applies to all languages in the world. The NPAH predicts the availability of relativization in a language based on the syntactic role of the head noun modified by the relative clause: on the
2010. Ainu applicatives in typological perspective. 749-801. Studies in Language 34(4).
This paper explores the polyfunctionality, grammaticalization, and typological relevance of applicatives in Ainu. Applicatives are derived by the valency-increasing prefixes which are generally defined here as instrumental e-, dative ko-, and locative o-. The referential range of the respective constructions stretches over several semantic roles and the exact role is attributed to the interaction between the semantics of the prefix and verb. The typologically unusual properties of Ainu applicatives include the ability of e- applicatives to add the roles of Theme and Content, the ability of the so-called unaccusative intransitives to host applicative prefixes e- and ko-, the possibility of e-ko- and ko-e- double applicatives, the absence of non-applicative paraphrases for some applicatives, and the possibility of applicative object incorporation.