Ďomün Morphosyntactic Alignment and Case Marking of Core Verb Arguments
▲
1▲ 1 ▼ 0
A summary of how core arguements relate to verbs in Ďomün
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 24 Jun 2017, 12:45.
[comments] dmncasemorphosyntacticalignment
2. Ďomün Conjunctions
?
?
3. Ďomün Gender
?
?
5. Ďomün Noun Cases
?
?
6. Ďomün Script
?
?
7. Ďomün Stress
?
?
10. Voice in Ďomün
?
?
As Ďomün is a nominative-accusative language, nominal subjects of both transitive and intransitive verbs are declined in the nominative case, while direct objects are declined in the accusative case. However, there are instances in which the marking of these words differs from this standard. The language exhibits split-S and fluid-S morphology, which affects the case marking of subjects. Additionally, nominal subject complements take marking other than the accusative. This article describes all instances in which the assignment of cases to the core subject and object arguments differs from the standard nominative-accusative pattern.Verbs that introduce a complement decline it in various ways, depending on the verb and the meaning of the complement. The standard copula, -k is normally dropped in the present tense, though whether it is overt or implied it requires complements of definition, role, or specification, to be declined in the nominative. Such clauses are the only clauses that may take two nouns occupying different thematic roles to be declined in the nominative. The state-changing complement -kon "become" functions identically.
| La vëm tamazëm. DEMDemonstrative e.g. this/ that.DISTDistal (proximity) far from speaker (and addressee) man-NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument 1First person (person) speaker, signer, etc; I.SGSingular (number) one countable entity-POSPossessor generic possessive article-friend-NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument That man is my friend. | |
Both vë- "man" and tamazë- "my friend" are declined in the nominative via the nominative suffix -m.
Even when the subject is not present, the complement takes the nominative:
| Min pokon radṃ. soon 2Second person (person) addressee (you).SGSingular (number) one countable entity.NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument-become adult-NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument You will soon become an adult. | |
When verbs other than copula type verbs are used, the complement remains in the nominative, but the the preposition aram is also required:
| Ďozim givodb̌ai aram vonem. Ďozi-NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument 3Third person (person) neither speaker nor addressee.MASCMasculine (gender) masculine or male.NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument.SGSingular (number) one countable entity-PASPast action occurred before moment of speech-name COMPLUnknown code chief-NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument Ďozi is named/called chief. (this is the role people recognize him as holding) | |
Complements of identity, that is to say, those that provide the actual name of the subject, are marked with the vocative. This is true not only for the copula, but for any verb that introduces a name as a complement.
| Givodb̌ai aram Ďozi. 3.MASC.NOM.SG-PAS-name COMPL Ďozi He is named Ďozi. | |
Failure to differentiate these two may result in obfuscation of meaning:
?Ďozim givodb̌ai aram vone. Ďozi-NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument 3Third person (person) neither speaker nor addressee.MASCMasculine (gender) masculine or male.NOMNominative (case) TRANS subject, INTR argument.SGSingular (number) one countable entity-PASPast action occurred before moment of speech-name COMPLUnknown code chief-(VOCVocative (case) 'O [addressee]') ?Ďozi is named "Vone/Chief". (this is his name) | |
Certain verbs in Ďomün allow for the true subject to be marked in the accusative case rather than the nominative case. Verbs that allow for such case alteration are all intransitive, unergative verbs, meaning they are verbs which, by default, imply some degree of agency, i.e. intentionality, inherent in the subject performing them. The purpose of declining a subject of such a verb in the accusative rather than the nominative is to remove agency from the subject.
Unintelligent or inanimate subjects, which are never considered to have agency, must necessarily be declined in the accusative when they are the subject of an unaccusative verb. This differing treatment of nouns based on the degree of agency assigned to them is known as split-S (split-subject) alignment.
Os büǧośedi muvañut nï or os gotpo.
DEFDefinite
"the".ARTArticle
indicate the type of reference being made by the noun PLPlural (number)
more than one/few.IRRATUnknown code-leaf-ACCAccusative (case)
TRANS direct object; patient 3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.TANUnknown code.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument.SGSingular (number)
one countable entity-return PSTPast (tense)
action occurred before moment of speech above DEFDefinite
"the".ARTArticle
indicate the type of reference being made by the noun wind-INSTInstrument (gender/class)
tool, machine
The leaves came back in the wind.
In this sentence, the true subject, os büǧośedi, "the leaves" is declined in the accusative to indicate that the leaves have no agency, no ability to perform the act with intent. They only react to the wind.
Intelligent, animate subjects are considered to have agency, and thus can take nominative marking for unaccusative verbs. However, such subjects may also be declined in the accusative in order to show a situation in which the subject, though capable of exhibiting agency in certain cases, does not do so in this case. This variable assignment of case based on situational information is known as fluid-S alignment (fluid-subject). Depending on the semantics of the specific verb in question, an action removed of agency may function as an incidental event, or as a pseudo-causative. Examples should illustrate:
Purposeful act:
Ǧaryakṃ gïnurum nï bïyïr-ba buďëgzï.
Ǧaryak-NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument 3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.MASCMasculine (gender)
masculine or male.SGSingular (number)
one countable entity.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument-search PSTPast (tense)
action occurred before moment of speech some=CNTUnknown code PLPlural (number)
more than one/few.IRRATUnknown code-mushroom-ACCAccusative (case)
TRANS direct object; patient
Ǧaryak (looked for and) found some mushrooms.
Incidental event:
Ǧaryakï gïnurum nï bïyïr-ba buďëgzï.
Ǧaryak-ACCAccusative (case)
TRANS direct object; patient 3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.MASCMasculine (gender)
masculine or male.SGSingular (number)
one countable entity.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument-search PSTPast (tense)
action occurred before moment of speech some=CNTUnknown code PLPlural (number)
more than one/few.IRRATUnknown code-mushroom-ACCAccusative (case)
TRANS direct object; patient
Ǧaryak came across some mushrooms.
Purposeful act:
Ǧaryakṃ gïlut nï.
Ǧaryak-NOM 3.MASC.NOM.SG-wait PST
Ǧaryak waited (intentionally).
Pseudo-causative:
Ǧaryakï gïlut nï.
Ǧaryak-ACCAccusative (case)
TRANS direct object; patient 3Third person (person)
neither speaker nor addressee.MASCMasculine (gender)
masculine or male.NOMNominative (case)
TRANS subject, INTR argument.SGSingular (number)
one countable entity-wait PSTPast (tense)
action occurred before moment of speech
Ǧaryak waited (i.e. Ǧaryak was forced to wait, due to e.g. the lateness of someone/something else). ✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
Comments
