(Komi-Permyak)

VolV + VtmNonF + VtumImpl & VolPcl + VtmV + VtumExpl & VolPcl + VtmNonF + VtumImpl

VolV: Volition is expressed using a finite verb.

VolPcl: A particle appears in the clause expressing the desired event.

VtmV: The desired event is expressed using a finite verb.

VtmNonF: The desired event is expressed by a non-finite verb form (infinitive, participle, converb).

VtumExpl: The linguistic unit expressing the desired event includes explicit reference to the agent desiring the event.

VtumImpl: The linguistic unit expressing the desired event does not include explicit reference to the agent desiring the event.

(1)memöd-amun-nymagaźin-ö.
Iwantprs.1sggoinfshopill
’I want to go shopping.’ (L. P.)

(2)mebymun-amagaźin-ö.
Ipclgoprs.1sgshopill
’I want to go shopping.’ (L. P.)

(3)marinabylo-ötödsaśyliś-ön.
Marinapclwill_beprs.3sgfamoussingerins
’Marina wants to be a famous singer.’ (L. P.)

(4)mebymun-nymagaźin-ö.
Ipclgoinfshopill
’I want/would like to go shopping.’ (L. P.)

In Komi-Permyak, volition can be expressed in various ways. One of them is using the verb mödny ’want, would like’ to express volition, combined with an infinitive to express the desired event (1). Another frequent strategy uses the particle by ’should, may’ of Russian origin for volition, combined with – and note that this is different from Russian – a present tense finite verb form (3) (L. P., Batalova 2002: 104). Combining the particle by with an infinitive is also an attested pattern (4). This, however, can also express conditional meanings, not only volition (L. P.). The marking of the logical subject is implicit when the desired event is expressed by an infinitive and explicit when the construction contains a finite verb.

Author: Nikolett F. Gulyás


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