7 Number in Slovenian
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Adrian Stegovec
Abstract
Slovenian is one of the very few modern Indo-European languages with a productive three-way number opposition across all major categories. Additionally, the expression of number is part of a complex fusional inflectional system; on nouns alone, the three-way number opposition interacts with the expression of three grammatical genders, six cases, and inflection class differences. The morphological patterns that emerge display a large amount of number syncretism, numberconditioned syncretism, as well as interesting patterns of number-conditioned suppletion and allomorphy. In the realm of syntax, quantified noun phrases display an extremely complex pattern of number and case marking interactions, which in turn have consequences for verbal agreement, including mismatches in number agreement between auxiliary verbs and participles and complex patterns of agreement with conjoined noun phrases. Finally, the three-way number system has interesting consequences for the lexical distribution and semantics of number on nouns, in particular cases of seemingly optional dual number.
Abstract
Slovenian is one of the very few modern Indo-European languages with a productive three-way number opposition across all major categories. Additionally, the expression of number is part of a complex fusional inflectional system; on nouns alone, the three-way number opposition interacts with the expression of three grammatical genders, six cases, and inflection class differences. The morphological patterns that emerge display a large amount of number syncretism, numberconditioned syncretism, as well as interesting patterns of number-conditioned suppletion and allomorphy. In the realm of syntax, quantified noun phrases display an extremely complex pattern of number and case marking interactions, which in turn have consequences for verbal agreement, including mismatches in number agreement between auxiliary verbs and participles and complex patterns of agreement with conjoined noun phrases. Finally, the three-way number system has interesting consequences for the lexical distribution and semantics of number on nouns, in particular cases of seemingly optional dual number.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- List of authors ix
- 1 Number in the World’s Languages: Configuring the variation space 1
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I Africa
- 2 Number in Eastern Dan 27
- 3 Number marking in Karko and Nilo-Saharan 63
- 4 Number in Tswana 107
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II Europe and Middle East
- 5 Number in Arabic 131
- 6 Number in Occitan 167
- 7 Number in Slovenian 187
- 8 Number in West Circassian 261
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III Northern Eurasia
- 9 Number in Ket (Yeniseian) 307
- 10 Number in Nganasan 351
- 11 Number in Nivkh 375
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IV Pacific and Australia
- 12 Number in Gooniyandi 427
- 13 Number in Indonesian 457
- 14 Number in Japonic Family 505
- 15 Number in the Languages of the Lower Sepik Family 529
- 16 Number in Marori 577
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V Americas
- 17 Number in the languages of South America 609
- 18 The category of number in Kakataibo (Panoan) 671
- 19 Grammatical simplexity: Number in Kiowa 693
- 20 Number in Mohawk (Iroquoian) 729
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VI Further perspectives on linguistic diversity
- 21 Contact languages: A survey 767
- 22 Number in Russian Sign Language 805
- 23 Number in grammar: results and perspectives 833
- Terms 911
- Languages and language families 917
- Authors 927
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Contents v
- List of authors ix
- 1 Number in the World’s Languages: Configuring the variation space 1
-
I Africa
- 2 Number in Eastern Dan 27
- 3 Number marking in Karko and Nilo-Saharan 63
- 4 Number in Tswana 107
-
II Europe and Middle East
- 5 Number in Arabic 131
- 6 Number in Occitan 167
- 7 Number in Slovenian 187
- 8 Number in West Circassian 261
-
III Northern Eurasia
- 9 Number in Ket (Yeniseian) 307
- 10 Number in Nganasan 351
- 11 Number in Nivkh 375
-
IV Pacific and Australia
- 12 Number in Gooniyandi 427
- 13 Number in Indonesian 457
- 14 Number in Japonic Family 505
- 15 Number in the Languages of the Lower Sepik Family 529
- 16 Number in Marori 577
-
V Americas
- 17 Number in the languages of South America 609
- 18 The category of number in Kakataibo (Panoan) 671
- 19 Grammatical simplexity: Number in Kiowa 693
- 20 Number in Mohawk (Iroquoian) 729
-
VI Further perspectives on linguistic diversity
- 21 Contact languages: A survey 767
- 22 Number in Russian Sign Language 805
- 23 Number in grammar: results and perspectives 833
- Terms 911
- Languages and language families 917
- Authors 927
