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Anbirese/Syntax: Difference between revisions
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→Infinitive clauses
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In Modern Tíogall, infinitives or verbal nouns go to the end of the clause for common modal constructions (e.g. want, need, must, may). | In Modern Tíogall, infinitives or verbal nouns go to the end of the clause for common modal constructions (e.g. want, need, must, may). | ||
Drion ean le ghnúi. | :'''''Drion ean le ghnúi.''''' | ||
on-1SG water to drink.VN | :on-1SG water to drink.VN | ||
I have to drink water. (lit. It is on me to drink water.) | :''I have to drink water. (lit. It is on me to drink water.)'' | ||
Oith góis le shnóisill. | :'''''Oith góis le shnóisill.''''' | ||
go_through.PRES with-2SG to continue | go_through.PRES with-2SG to continue | ||
You may continue. (lit. It goes through with you to continue.) | ''You may continue. (lit. It goes through with you to continue.)'' | ||
For emphasizing the object, "want/need/etc. an X to Y", a resumptive pronoun can be used after the verbal noun. (Alternatively the emphatic clitic -na/-ne can be used on X.) | For emphasizing the object, "want/need/etc. an X to Y", a resumptive pronoun can be used after the verbal noun. (Alternatively the emphatic clitic -na/-ne can be used on X.) | ||
Geilin tána le cháis ú! | :'''''Geilin tána le cháis ú!''''' | ||
from-1SG something to eat.VN 3SG.M-DEP | :from-1SG something to eat.VN 3SG.M-DEP | ||
I want something to eat! | :''I want something to eat!'' | ||
Not all constructions with the verbal noun use the infinitive-final order: | Not all constructions with the verbal noun use the infinitive-final order: | ||
The infinitive-final order arose from constructions corresponding to modal verbs in English: originally the order was something similar to | :'''''Ní h-airŋín lion áichir ú.''''' | ||
:''I didn't succeed in finding it.'' | |||
The infinitive-final order arose from constructions corresponding to modal verbs in English: originally the order was something similar to {{recon|''Drion gnúi ean''}} ("on-1SG drink.VN water"), then ''Drion ean le ghnúi'' (originally "I want water to drink") became more common, eventually to the exclusion of the original construction, which is archaic or high-register today for common modal expressions. | |||
===Passive constructions=== | ===Passive constructions=== | ||