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An Interpretation of Split Ergativity in Indo-Iranian Languages

Authors: Vit Bubenik;

An Interpretation of Split Ergativity in Indo-Iranian Languages

Abstract

SUMMARY This paper investigates three problems related to the phenomenon of split ergativity in several Indo-Iranian languages. (1) In ergative tenses Pashto and Kashmiri belong to the canonical ergative-absolutive type — irrespective of the definiteness of the nominal P(atient) — while Sindhî and LahndS pattern erga-tively only if P is indefinite. (2) In the case of pronominal arguments the rare antiabsolutive encodes the transitive Subject in ergative tenses and O in non-ergative tenses; the superabsolutive encodes the intransitive S, O in ergative tenses and the transitive S in non-ergative tenses. The Sindhf and Lahnda systems are based on the antiabsolutive without any traces of the superabsolutive. In Section (3) some historical evidence for the antiabsolutive patterning of pronominal clitics in both Middle Indie and Middle Iranian is presented. However, only in Middle Iranian there are some instances of the incipient superabsolutive which are evaluated as an ancestor of the contemporary Pashto superabsolutive (cf. zeyem "I am" and ze=ye vulid=em "he saw me" where the marker of the ergative O = em is a recategorized clitic form of the copula; originally I=his seen=am). RÉSUMÉ Cet article étudie trois problèmes liés au phénomène de l'ergativité partielle en plusieurs langues indo-iraniennes. (1) Aux temps ergatifs, le pachto et le cachemiri appartiennent au type canonique ergatif-absolutif— sans tenir compte de la nature définie-indéfinie du P(atient) nominal — tandis que le sindhi et lahnda appartiennent à ce type-ci seulement en cas du P indéfini. (2) En pachto et en cachemiri, pour les arguments pronominaux le type rare anti-absolutif-hyper-absolutif s'avère en quelques personnes du verbe (deux Ps sont a distinguer, à savoir, l'O(bjet) du predicat transitif aux temps ergatifs, pas aux temps non-ergatifs. L'anti-absolutif encode le S(ujet) transitif aux temps ergatifs et l'O aux temps non-ergatifs; le hyper-absolutif encode le S intransitif, l'O aux temps ergatifs et le S transitif aux temps non-ergatifs. Les systèmes du sindhi et du lahnda sont basés sur l'anti-absolutif sans aucune trace du hyper-absolutif. Dans (3) l'évidence historique pour le comportement antiabsolutif des clitiques pronominaux en moyen indien et iranien est présentée. En moyen iranien uniquement, il y a quelques exemples du hyper-absolutif naissant. Ceux-ci sont considérés comme le devancier du hyper-absolutif en pachto contemporain (cf. ze yem "je suis" et ze-ye vúlid-em "il m'a vu" où le suffixe de l'O ergatif -dm est la forme clitique de la copule récate-gorisée; originellement je=son vu=suis). ZUSAMMENFASSUNG In diesem Aufsatz werden drei Probleme untersucht, die sich auf das Phänomen der gespaltenen Ergativität in einzelnen indo-iranischen Sprachen beziehen. (1) In den ergativen Tempora — ungeachtet der Bestimmtheit des nominalen P(atienten) — gehören Puschtu und Kaschmiri zum kanonischen ergativ-absolutivischen Typus, während Sindhf und Lahnda nur dann, wenn P unbestimmt ist, zu diesem Typus gehören. (2) Im Falle der pronominalen Argumente ergibt sich der seltene antiabsolutiv-superabsolutivische Typus in verschiedenen Personen in Puschtu und Kaschmiri (zwei verschiedene Ps werden unterschieden: das O(bjekt) der transitiven Prädikate in ergativen im Gegensatz zu nicht-ergativen Tempora). Der Antiabsolutiv grammatikalisiert das transitive S(ubjekt) in ergativen und das O in nicht-ergativen Tempora; der Superabsolutiv grammatikalisiert das intransitive S, O in ergativen und das transitive S in nicht-ergativen Tempora. Die Système des Sindhf und Lahnda beruhen auf dem Antiabsolutiv ohne etwaige Spuren des Superabsolutivs auf-zuweisen. In (3) wird der historische Nachweis fur das antiabsolutivische Ver-halten der pronominalen Enklitika im Mittelindischen und Mitteliranischen geführt. Nur das Mitteliranische bietet ein paar Beispiele des in der Ent-wicklung befindlichen Superabsolutivs an, die hier als Vorfahr des Superabsolutivs im heutigen Puschtu beurteilt werden (vgl. ze yem "Ich bin" und ze-ye vúlid-em "er sah mich", wo das Merkmal des ergativen O =am eine rekate-gorisierte klitische Form der Kopula ist; ursprunglich: Ich=sein gesehe-ner=bin).

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
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Top 10%
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