A strange variant of Russian ctoby -construction
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Alexander Letuchiy
Abstract
In my paper, I discuss the choice of the verb form in constructions with a complementizer/adverbial subordinator čtoby. I show that while the situation is rather trivial in biclausal constructions, analysis of triclausal constructions where another clause is embedded under the čtoby-clause reveals a phenomenon which is not accounted for in any Russian grammatical descriptions. The marker can impose the past tense form not only to the verb in its clause, but also to the temporal clause which is embedded deeper. The existence of such an unusual construction results from both semantic and syntactic factors: namely, from the fact that the ‘unreal’ meaning carried by čtoby spreads to the temporal clause and from the syntactic properties of čtoby and kogda, the latter not imposing any formal restrictions on the verb form in the temporal clause. Keywords: irrealis; complementation; sentential arguments; purpose constructions; Russian; tense
Abstract
In my paper, I discuss the choice of the verb form in constructions with a complementizer/adverbial subordinator čtoby. I show that while the situation is rather trivial in biclausal constructions, analysis of triclausal constructions where another clause is embedded under the čtoby-clause reveals a phenomenon which is not accounted for in any Russian grammatical descriptions. The marker can impose the past tense form not only to the verb in its clause, but also to the temporal clause which is embedded deeper. The existence of such an unusual construction results from both semantic and syntactic factors: namely, from the fact that the ‘unreal’ meaning carried by čtoby spreads to the temporal clause and from the syntactic properties of čtoby and kogda, the latter not imposing any formal restrictions on the verb form in the temporal clause. Keywords: irrealis; complementation; sentential arguments; purpose constructions; Russian; tense
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Abbreviations xi
- Impersonals and Beyond in Slavic 1
-
Section I: Morphosyntax
- Binding and Morphology Revisited 25
- Possessor Raising and Slavic clitics 43
- The Slavonic Languages and the Development of the Antipassive Marker 61
- Clitic SE in Romance and Slavonic revisited 75
-
Section II: Syntactical relations
- The Lazy Speaker and the Fascination of Emptiness 91
- Is the Polish Verb iść an Auxiliary to be? 123
- Towards Evidentiality Markers in Albanian and Macedonian Bilingual Political Discourse 139
- A strange variant of Russian ctoby -construction 149
-
Section III: Impersonal constructions
- Impersonal Constructions in Serbian 169
- Interpretation and voice in Polish SIĘ and –NO/–TO constructions 185
- Dative-infinitive constructions in Russian 199
- On the Nature of Dative Arguments in Russian Constructions with «Predicatives» 225
- Russian Adversity Impersonals and Split Ergativity 247
-
Section IV: Lexical semantics
- Morphological and lexical aspect in Russian deverbal nominalizations 267
- Lexical synonymy within the semantic field POWER 281
- Collocations with nominal quantifiers 297
- Polysemy Patterns in Russian Adjectives and Adverbs 313
- Language index 323
- Name index 325
- Subject index 329
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Abbreviations xi
- Impersonals and Beyond in Slavic 1
-
Section I: Morphosyntax
- Binding and Morphology Revisited 25
- Possessor Raising and Slavic clitics 43
- The Slavonic Languages and the Development of the Antipassive Marker 61
- Clitic SE in Romance and Slavonic revisited 75
-
Section II: Syntactical relations
- The Lazy Speaker and the Fascination of Emptiness 91
- Is the Polish Verb iść an Auxiliary to be? 123
- Towards Evidentiality Markers in Albanian and Macedonian Bilingual Political Discourse 139
- A strange variant of Russian ctoby -construction 149
-
Section III: Impersonal constructions
- Impersonal Constructions in Serbian 169
- Interpretation and voice in Polish SIĘ and –NO/–TO constructions 185
- Dative-infinitive constructions in Russian 199
- On the Nature of Dative Arguments in Russian Constructions with «Predicatives» 225
- Russian Adversity Impersonals and Split Ergativity 247
-
Section IV: Lexical semantics
- Morphological and lexical aspect in Russian deverbal nominalizations 267
- Lexical synonymy within the semantic field POWER 281
- Collocations with nominal quantifiers 297
- Polysemy Patterns in Russian Adjectives and Adverbs 313
- Language index 323
- Name index 325
- Subject index 329
