The division of labour between synonymous locative cases and adpositions
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Jane Klavan
Abstract
In Estonian the location of one object placed on top of another object may be expressed using either the adessive case construction or the adpositional construction with the postposition peal ‘on’. This paper addresses the question which semantic factors determine the use of these alternative constructions. For this purpose two linguistic tasks were conducted – a forced choice task and a production task. The results of these studies indicate that there are differences in how these two constructions are used in Estonian: the adessive is used when there is an abstract relation between Trajector and Landmark and the Landmark is a place; the adposition peal ‘on’ is used when there is an unconventional spatial relation between Trajector and Landmark and when the Landmark is a thing.
Abstract
In Estonian the location of one object placed on top of another object may be expressed using either the adessive case construction or the adpositional construction with the postposition peal ‘on’. This paper addresses the question which semantic factors determine the use of these alternative constructions. For this purpose two linguistic tasks were conducted – a forced choice task and a production task. The results of these studies indicate that there are differences in how these two constructions are used in Estonian: the adessive is used when there is an abstract relation between Trajector and Landmark and the Landmark is a place; the adposition peal ‘on’ is used when there is an unconventional spatial relation between Trajector and Landmark and when the Landmark is a thing.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction to case, animacy and semantic roles 1
- Remarks on the coding of Goal, Recipient and Vicinal Goal in European Uralic 29
- A case in search of an independent life 65
- The division of labour between synonymous locative cases and adpositions 113
- Is there a future for the Finnish comitative? 135
- Animacy and spatial cases 157
- There’s more than “more animate” 183
- The coding of spatial relations with human landmarks 209
- A survey of the origins of directional case suffixes in European Uralic 235
- Dutch spatial case 283
- Case on the margins 305
- Why should beneficiaries be subjects (or objects)? 329
- General index 349
- Language index 353
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction to case, animacy and semantic roles 1
- Remarks on the coding of Goal, Recipient and Vicinal Goal in European Uralic 29
- A case in search of an independent life 65
- The division of labour between synonymous locative cases and adpositions 113
- Is there a future for the Finnish comitative? 135
- Animacy and spatial cases 157
- There’s more than “more animate” 183
- The coding of spatial relations with human landmarks 209
- A survey of the origins of directional case suffixes in European Uralic 235
- Dutch spatial case 283
- Case on the margins 305
- Why should beneficiaries be subjects (or objects)? 329
- General index 349
- Language index 353
