6 Mansi dialects
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Ulla-Maija Forsberg
Abstract
This chapter deals with the Mansi dialects and their differences in phonology, morphology, syntax, and information structure. The main concern is morphosyntactic functions and alternative sentence structures. All the Mansi dialects share the syntactic functions of dative shift and passive. The dative shift entails not only the promotion of a Recipient/Benefactive but also the demotion of a primary object, which is marked with an adverbial case (Instrumental) The passive is used both as personal and impersonal passive. There is an abundance of roles in the passive sentence subject position, including Patients and Recipients as well as Locative constituents. A personal passive sentence can be formed with transitive and intransitive verbs. There are differences in tempus systems and case inventories among the dialects. One main difference is the lack of the dual number in the (extinct) southern dialects, which makes both the nominal (possessive) and verbal paradigms narrower and more coherent, as in the other dialect groups. Furthermore, during the last phase of the southern Mansi dialect, the basic word order was changing.
Abstract
This chapter deals with the Mansi dialects and their differences in phonology, morphology, syntax, and information structure. The main concern is morphosyntactic functions and alternative sentence structures. All the Mansi dialects share the syntactic functions of dative shift and passive. The dative shift entails not only the promotion of a Recipient/Benefactive but also the demotion of a primary object, which is marked with an adverbial case (Instrumental) The passive is used both as personal and impersonal passive. There is an abundance of roles in the passive sentence subject position, including Patients and Recipients as well as Locative constituents. A personal passive sentence can be formed with transitive and intransitive verbs. There are differences in tempus systems and case inventories among the dialects. One main difference is the lack of the dual number in the (extinct) southern dialects, which makes both the nominal (possessive) and verbal paradigms narrower and more coherent, as in the other dialect groups. Furthermore, during the last phase of the southern Mansi dialect, the basic word order was changing.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of contents V
- List of Contributors IX
- Introduction XI
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I Major language groups of Inner Eurasia
- 1 The Turkic language family 1
- 2 The Mongolic language family 75
- 3 The Tungusic language family 123
- 4 The Samoyed languages 167
- 5 Khanty dialects 253
- 6 Mansi dialects 281
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II Microfamilies of Siberia and Asia’s North Pacific Rim
- 7 The Yukaghir language family 307
- 8 The Yeniseian language family 365
- 9 The Amuric language family 481
- 10 The Ainuic language family 541
- 11 The Chukotko-Kamchatkan Languages 633
- 12 The Eskaleut language family 669
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Table of contents V
- List of Contributors IX
- Introduction XI
-
I Major language groups of Inner Eurasia
- 1 The Turkic language family 1
- 2 The Mongolic language family 75
- 3 The Tungusic language family 123
- 4 The Samoyed languages 167
- 5 Khanty dialects 253
- 6 Mansi dialects 281
-
II Microfamilies of Siberia and Asia’s North Pacific Rim
- 7 The Yukaghir language family 307
- 8 The Yeniseian language family 365
- 9 The Amuric language family 481
- 10 The Ainuic language family 541
- 11 The Chukotko-Kamchatkan Languages 633
- 12 The Eskaleut language family 669
