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Kirtumur nouns: Difference between revisions
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The dual of or plural markers are used with the noun they modify, although this particular example is from an old text. In modern colloquial language the word "gods" would be ''entirik'' instead, the second animate dative marker would be dropped too. | The dual of or plural markers are used with the noun they modify, although this particular example is from an old text. In modern colloquial language the word "gods" would be ''entirik'' instead, the second animate dative marker would be dropped too. | ||
====Ergative==== | |||
The ergative case is expressed with the enclitic case marker ''-es'' (animate) or ''-em'' (inanimate). A noun phrase in the ergative case expresses the agent of a transitive clause and in some cases the intransitive subject, when a clause is [[w:Volition (linguistics)|volitional]]. Here is an example of such a volitional contrast in an intranstive sentence: ''nō izilzil'' "a stone (absolutive case) rolls by itself" vs ''imem nimizile muitrau'' "a cloud (ergative case) rolls itself into a spiral shape". Volition is always expressed in Erepursal, but in Umunesal absolutive case would be preferred in both cases even though both options are acceptable. For semantic reasons, the ergative case is primarily found with human noun phrases, but it can be used with inanimate noun phrases as well. The xample below demonstrates the usage of the ergative case. The word ''Ŋaškiles'' is a proper noun (name) and displays the ergative case marker: | |||
:{| | |||
|Ŋaškiles | |||
|kōlnu | |||
|neikartei | |||
|- | |||
|Ŋaškil-es | |||
|kōl-nu | |||
|na-i-kar-tei | |||
|- | |||
|Ngashkil-ERG | |||
|name-3SG.POSS | |||
|3SG.IO-3SG.S-call-NFIN.PRF | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | "when Ngashkil had called his name". | |||
|} | |||
====Absolutive==== | |||
The absolutive case is marked by ''-i'' (animate, not possessed) or by the absence of any case marker (inanimate). A noun phrase which lacks a case marker will be said to be in the absolutive case. In transitive clauses such a phrase usually expresses the direct object and in intransitive clauses the subject; it can also denote indirect objects with the meaning of motion, manner or purpose. Finally, in Umunesal the absolutive case is the form used when addressing somebody, while Erepursal has a special vocative clitic for this purpose. | |||
The absolutive case marker ''-i'' derived from a certain kind of a definite article or a demonstrative, and in ancient inscriptions it could appear with inanimate nouns too. In Kirtumur it became fused with its modifying noun, but just as other clitics it did not participate in vowel harmony, which was still productive in early Kirtumur. A noun phrase in the absolutive case can have several different functions. In a transitive clause, it expresses the direct object. E.g.: | |||
:{| | |||
|Heim | |||
|eritikta | |||
|- | |||
|heim-Ø | |||
|e-rit-i-k-ta | |||
|- | |||
|house-ABS | |||
|PST-build-1AG.3PAT-DU-COM | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | "we built a house together". | |||
|} | |||
In an intransitive clause, a noun phrase in the absolutive case expresses the subject. Thus Kirtumur follows an ergative pattern: the intransitive subject is treated in the same way as the direct object, and differently from the transitive subject. | |||
====Dative==== | |||
A noun phrase in the dative case expresses an indirect or oblique object. It is expressed with the clitics ''-ara'' (animate) and ''-ex'' (inanimate): | |||
:{| | |||
|Kaulaŋara | |||
|Anturkuri | |||
|enayitumē | |||
|- | |||
|Kaulaŋ-ara | |||
|Anturkur-i | |||
|e-na-yi-tum-ē | |||
|- | |||
|Kaulang-DAT | |||
|Anturkur-ABS | |||
|PST-3SG.IO-this-say-3AG.3PAT | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | "Anturkur said this to Kaulang". | |||
|} | |||
A noun phrase in the dative case can also express the oblique object: ''pešeil'''ex''' neimirauwite heim'' a house was hit by a volcanic bomb, where ''pešeil'' ("volcanic bomb") is in the dative case. It can also express direction or position on something: ''nayilateya pakethōs'''ex''''' "put it on the wall shelf (a niche)". | |||
====Locative==== | |||
The locative case is used only in Umunesal and is marked by a clitic ''-nei''. Erepursal usually denotes location on the main verb only, except for some fixed idioms. The locative is almost exclusively found with placenames but may also occur with other nouns: ''Erepur'''enei''' eaŋale'' "I used to live in Erepur" (in Erepursal this phrase would be: ''Erepur iniaŋil''). in Umunesal this case marker is optional if the locative meaning is already expressed on the verb. The locative can also have the same uses as the local prefix ''ur-'' "on": ''Heimax mauz'''enē''' curitēni'' "There is a house, built on the mountain". | |||
===Reduplication=== | ===Reduplication=== | ||