(Komi-Permyak)
CopInfl=VInfl / CopNoInflVInfl
CopInfl=VInfl: The copula, when explicit, is inflected just like lexical verbs.
CopNoInflVInfl: The copula, when explicit, is not inflected, unlike lexical verbs.
| (1) | mi | velötiś-śez. |
|---|
| we | teacher‑PL |
| ’We are teachers.’ (L. P.) |
| (2) | mi | völ-i-m | velötiś-śez. |
|---|
| we | COP‑PST‑1PL | teacher‑PL |
| ’We were teachers.’ (L. P.) |
| (3) | nija | völ-i-sö | velötiś-śez. |
|---|
| they | COP‑PST‑3PL | teacher‑PL |
| ’They were teachers.’ (L. P.) |
| (4) | mi | ors-i-m. |
|---|
| we | play‑PST‑1PL |
| ’We played.’ (L. P.) |
| (5) | nija | ors-i-sö. |
|---|
| they | play‑PST‑3PL |
| ’They played.’ (L. P.) |
| (6) | mi | abu-öś | velötiś-śez. |
|---|
| we | COP.NEG‑PL | teacher‑PL |
| ’We are not teachers.’ (L. P.) |
| (7) | nija | abu-öś | velötiś-śez. |
|---|
| they | COP.NEG‑PL | teacher‑PL |
| ’They are not teachers.’ (L. P.) |
| (8) | mi | eg(ö) | ors-ö. |
|---|
| we | NEG.1PL | play.CNG‑PL |
| ’We did not play.’ (L. P.) |
| (9) | nija | ez(ö) | ors-ö. |
|---|
| they | NEG.3PL | play.CNG‑PL |
| ’They did not play.’ (L. P.) |
Komi-Permyak has no copula in any person and number in affirmative present tense sentences in indicative mood (1). In other cases, such as the past tense (2)–(3), the copula agrees with the subject in person and number. That is, in these cases the copula is inflected just like lexical verbs are (4)–(5). The negated form of the copula (6)–(7), however, agrees only in number, unlike negated lexical verbs (8)–(9) (Bartens 2000: 265–267, L. P., Lobanova 2017).
Author: Nikolett F. Gulyás
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