Ergativity in Caucasian Languages.

Autor/in	Catford, J. C.
Titel	Ergativity in Caucasian Languages.
Quelle	(1974), (59 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Case (Grammar); Caucasian Languages; Contrastive Linguistics; Descriptive Linguistics; Linguistic Theory; Nouns; Sentence Structure; Syntax; Verbs + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Linguistics; Kontrastive Linguistik; Deskriptive Linguistik; Linguistische Theorie; Satzbau; Satzstruktur
Abstract	The ergative construction is characteristic of all 37 languages of the Caucasian group. After definition of "subject" and "object," a summary is given of 13 Caucasian intransitive and transitive sentence-types, with respect to the case forms of their subjects and objects. The principal "symptoms" of ergativity are: (1) subject in an oblique (ergative) case; (2) object in the nominative (or absolutive) case; (3) verb agrees in class and/or person and number with the object; and (4) in N.W. Caucasian only, pronominal prefixes in the sequence O-S-V. Numerous deviations are discussed. Arguments are presented against the once-popular view that the ergative construction is "really" a passive construction. In the N. Caucasian languages, the ergative transitive construction systematically contrasts with a nominative transitive construction (subject in nominative, object in nominative or oblique case). The ergative construction highlights the effect of the verbally expressed activity on the object; the nominative construction highlights the activity of the subject. Ergativity in all ergative languages can be classified as Functional (i.e., in meaningful contrast with a non-ergative transitive construction), as in N. Caucasian, Chukot-Kamchadal, Eskimo-Aleut, or Formal (i.e., as a mere obligatory formal feature of transitive sentences), as in Georgian and the Iranian, Dardic, and Indic ergative languages. (Author)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC