Semantic Role Universals - Programme

Saturday, December 7th

12:15-13:00

Don Stilo

A Multiplicity of Constructions in Vafsi (NW Iranian): Ergatives, Accusatives, Nominatives and Obligatory OSV, SOV Orders

abstract

In at least 5 subgroups of NW Iranian (Tatic, Kurdic and others), there exists a split ergativity, i.e., Nominative-Accusative (direct-oblique) in the present tenses and Ergative-Absolutive (oblique-direct) in the past tenses.  Since many of the languages of these subgroups are in flux and are at different stages of losing some or all forms of ergativity (as did Persian much earlier), there are many variations on this split in constructions, depending on the language

The present paper presents data from Vafsi (±20,000 speakers), a Tatic language, in which there are six different constructions for expressing subject and object: two in the present tenses (both SOV) and four in the past tenses (two SOV and two obligatorily OSV, each with subtypes). While one construction in each tense system can be eliminated from the discussion because they only apply to non-specific objects, there still remains a choice among three different constructions in the past system for specific objects.  While subjects in the past system are always in the oblique case, objects may be either direct or oblique and word order may be either SOV or OSV, depending on the construction

In addition, to the above uses, the oblique is also used for subjects of Dative Verbs (to be hungry, sleepy, etc.) and "to love" always takes oblique for "subjects" and direct case for "objects".  The oblique case also is used for the indirect objects, possessives of nouns and pronouns, and objects of most adpositions

Don Stilo

Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Research at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Science, revolves around* human cognitive abilities and cerebral processes, with the accent on language, music and action.Studies look into the perception of language, music, actions (and their outcome), the planning and generation of language and activity, and the interaction between, and common functional principles of, generation and perception in various cognitive fields

related links

Prof. Don Stilo & vafsi language

Vafsi Folk Tales

Vafsi in Tafresh area

Coordination in three Western Iranian languages: Vafsi, Persian and Gilaki

Vafsi

Linguistic Lineage for Vafsi