(Meadow Mari)
NCopDep
NCopDep: Depending on certain grammatical circumstances, the copula does occur with nominal predicates.
| (1) | miklaj | sonarze. |
|---|
| Miklay | hunter |
| ’Miklay is a hunter.’ (T. E.) |
| (2) | miklaj | sonarze | ul-eš. |
|---|
| Miklay | hunter | COP‑3SG |
| ’Miklay is a hunter.’ (A. S.) |
| (3) | məj | sonarze | ul-am. |
|---|
| I | hunter | COP‑1SG |
| ’I am a hunter.’ (A. S.) |
| (4) | miklaj | sonarze | lij-eš. |
|---|
| Miklay | hunter | COP.FUT‑3SG |
| ’Miklay will be hunter’. (A. S.) |
| (5) | miklaj | sonarze | lij-ne-že. |
|---|
| Miklay | hunter | COP.FUT‑DES‑3SG |
| ’Miklay would like to be a hunter.’ (A. S.) |
| (6) | miklaj | sonarze | ogəl. |
|---|
| Miklay | hunter | COP.NEG.3SG |
| ’Miklay is not a hunter.’ (A. S.) |
In Meadow Mari the copula is optional in stative affirmative third person present tense sentences in indicative mood (1)–(2). Everywhere else, that is, in non-third person singular (3), non-present (4), non-indicative (5) and non-affirmative (6) sentences, the copula is obligatory (Kangasmaa-Minn 1998: 240).
Author: Bogáta Timár
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