Non-finite verb forms in Turkic exhibit syncretism, not multifunctionality

Jonathan N. Washington; Francis M. Tyers; Ilnar Salimzianov

doi:10.1515/flin-2022-2045

Article

Non-finite verb forms in Turkic exhibit syncretism, not multifunctionality

Jonathan N. Washington , Francis M. Tyers and Ilnar Salimzianov

Published/Copyright: December 7, 2022

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From the journal Folia Linguistica Volume 56 Issue 3

Abstract

Non-finite verbs in Turkic are typically categorised as participles, converbs, and sometimes infinitives, with multiple uses of a form within one category considered to constitute multiple functions. This multifunctionality approach predicts that all non-finite verb forms within each of the categories should have the same range of syntactic functions. We show that this is not the case. Based on analysis of a representative set of Turkic languages (Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Sakha, Tatar, Turkish, and Tuvan), we propose a categorisation based on morphological and syntactic properties of non-finite verbs, resulting in four categories: verbal nouns, verbal adjectives, verbal adverbs, and infinitives. Under this approach, forms that are typically labelled as participles end up categorised as verbal nouns, verbal adjectives, or both, and forms that are typically labelled as converbs end up categorised as verbal adverbs, infinitives, or both. Some forms even span these two divisions. When a non-finite verb form appears to exist in multiple categories, we consider this to be a case of syncretism; this is, there is a member of one category that has the same form as a member of another category. We propose historical trajectories that may have led to the types of situations that are attested, examine the limitations of this approach, and discuss its wider implications.

Keywords: converb; infinitive; non-finite verbs; participle; syncretism; Turkic languages; verbal adjective; verbal adverb; verbal noun

Corresponding author: Jonathan N. Washington, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA, E-mail: jonathan.washington@swarthmore.edu

Acknowledgments

This work is based on collaborations with and input from: Aibek Makazhanov, Aziyana Bayyr-ool, Çağrı Çöltekin, Memduh Gökırmak, Sardana Ivanova, and Tolgonay Kubatova. Furthermore, we appreciate the detailed feedback we have received on earlier stages of this work, including from Donna Jo Napoli, a number of anonymous reviewers, for both Tu+4 and the SLE 2020 workshop on multifunctionality and syncretism in non-finite forms, and from the participants of both events—especially Richard Larson, Chris Collins, Michael Daniel, and Eric Reuland—as well as two anonymous reviewers for and the editors of this volume. This paper is much more coherent because of these people. All errors in data, analysis, use of terminology, gaps in our understanding of syntax, etc., are our own.

Research funding: The work of Ilnar Salimzianov has been partially funded by the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, contract #346/018-2018/33-28, IRN AP05133700.

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Received: 2021-10-16

Accepted: 2021-12-02

Published Online: 2022-12-07

Published in Print: 2022-11-25

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https://doi.org/10.1515/flin-2022-2045

Keywords for this article

converb; infinitive; non-finite verbs; participle; syncretism; Turkic languages; verbal adjective; verbal adverb; verbal noun