(Meadow Mari)

ZeroIntr

ZeroIntr: Avalent verbs, characterized by being able to form a non-elliptical, grammatical clause without a single argument, exist as a subclass of intransitive verbs.

(1)pəčkeməšalt-eš.
darken3SG
’It is getting dark.’ (A. S.)

(2)volgalt-eš.
lighten3SG
’It is getting light.’ (A. S.)

(3)üžaravolgalt-eš.
dawnlighten3SG
’Dawn is breaking.’ (Riese et al. 2022)

(4)volgenčevolgalt-eš.
thunderlighten3SG
’There is lightning.’ (A. S.)

In Meadow Mari a group of intransitive verbs – typically a part of weather verbs – have no obligatory arguments (1)–(2). In certain cases the presence of an argument is optional (3), occasionally it is obligatory (4).

Author: Bogáta Timár


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