(Meadow Mari)
WhenVDrkDiffT & WhenVBalDiffT
WhenVDrkDiffT: The verb of a when-clause always appears in a special form, regardless of the features of the verb; however, the specific special form in which it appears (or can appear) depends on its temporal relationship to the verb of the main clause.
WhenVBalDiffT: The verb of a when-clause can appear in either base form or a special form, depending on its temporal relationship to the verb of the main clause.
| (1) | kunam | miša | pačer-əš | purə-š, | maša | lekt-e. |
|---|
| when | Misha | room‑ILL | enter‑PST.3SG | Masha | leave‑PST.3SG |
| ’When Misha entered the room, Masha left.’ (T. E.) |
| (2) | miša | pačer-əš | purə-š, | da | maša | lekt-e. |
|---|
| Misha | room‑ILL | enter‑PST.3SG | and | Masha | leave‑PST.3SG |
| ’Misha entered the room and Masha left.’ (T. E.) |
| (3) | miša | pačer-əš | purə-meke | maša | lekt-e. |
|---|
| Misha | room‑ILL | enter‑CVB.PRI | Masha | leave‑PST.3SG |
| ’After Misha entered the room, Masha left.’ (T. E.) |
| (4) | miša | pačer-əš | purə-mo | deč | vara | maša | lekt-e. |
|---|
| Misha | room‑ILL | enter‑PTCP.PASS | from | after | Masha | leave‑PST.3SG |
| ’After Misha entered the room, Masha left.’ (T. E.) |
| (5) | paša-m | əšt-en | pətarə-meške | kan-aš | o-na | kaj. |
|---|
| work‑ACC | do‑CVB | finish‑CVB.FUT | rest‑INF | NEG‑1PL | go.CNG |
| ’Before finishing work, we won’t take a break.’ (Riese et al. 2022: 274) |
| (6) | paša-m | əšt-en | pətarə-me | deč | ončəč | kan-aš | o-na | kaj. |
|---|
| work‑ACC | do‑CVB | finish‑PTCP.PASS | from | before | rest‑INF | NEG‑1PL | go.CNG |
| ’Before finishing work, we won’t take a break.’ (T. E.) |
| (7) | metro | dene | kudal-šəla | šuk-ən | kńiga-m | lud-ət. |
|---|
| metro | with | travel‑CVB.SIM | many‑GEN | book‑ACC | read‑3PL |
| ’Many people read books when they take the metro.’ (Riese et al. 2022: 276) |
In Meadow Mari different converbs are used to express anteriority, posteriority and simultaneity (3), (5), (7) (Riese et al. 2022: 272–278). Alternatively, the passive participle form of the verb and postpositions can be used (4), (6). Anteriority and simultaneity can also be expressed using the base form of the verbs (1), (2), a strategy not available for expressing posteriority.
Author: Bogáta Timár
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