(Udmurt)

PassAn & PassSynt

PassAn: Passive constructions are analytic.

PassSynt: Passive constructions are synthetic.

(1)kńigalyʒ́ʒ́-emynval.
bookreadPTCP.PASSAUX.PST
’The book was read.’ (Keľmakov – Hännikäinen 2008: 238)

(2)kńigalyʒ́ʒ́-emynlu-o-z.
bookreadPTCP.PASSAUXFUT3SG
’The book will be read.’ (Keľmakov – Hännikäinen 2008: 238)

(3)so-jeyb-iľľamińi1937ar-yn.
(s)heACCshootPST2.3PLalready1937yearINE
’(S)he was already shot in 1937.’ (Asztalos 2008: 17)

(4)soyb-emynvylemińi1937ar-yn.
(s)heshootPTCP.PASSAUX.PST2already1937yearINE
’(S)he was/had already been shot in 1937.’ (Asztalos 2008: 20)

(5)perepećśi-emyn(anaj-en).
perepechieatPTCP.PASSmotherINSCOM
’The perepechi [Udmurt food] is eaten (by the mother).’ (F. Gulyás – Speshilova 2014: 68)

(6)perepećśi-iśk-i-z(anaj-en).
perepechieatPASSPST3SGmotherINSCOM
’The perepechi has been eaten (by the mother). (F. Gulyás – Speshilova 2014: 68)

(7)perepeć-ezśi-iśk-i-z(anaj-en).
perepecsACCeszikREFLPST3SGanyaINSCOM
’The perepechi got eaten (by the mother). (F. Gulyás – Speshilova 2014: 68)

In Udmurt, the participle -(e)myn added to a transitive verb can result in a passive interpretation (cf. Bartens 2000: 240, Keľmakov – Hännikäinen 2008: 237, Asztalos 2008, 2011, F. Gulyás – Speshilova 2014: 69–72). For past and future event times the participle -(e)myn is accompanied by auxiliaries associated with past and future meanings (1)–(2), (4). Diachronically, the non-finite verb is the inessive marked form of the perfect participle -(e)m associated with a predicative function (Bartens 2000: 238–239, Keľmakov – Hännikäinen 2008: 237–238). The subject of passive sentences formed with the participle -(e)myn added to transitive verbs is understood as the object of the corresponding active sentence (3)–(4). The subject of the active transitive sentence usually does not appear in the passive one (1)–(2), but in case it does it has an instrumental-comitative form (5); Asztalos attributes this to Russian influence and regards it as marginal (Asztalos 2008: 22, 24).

Udmurt also has a synthetic strategy to express the passive function: the reflexive suffix -(i)śk is also used in a passive function. The object of the active sentence can appear in a nominative form in the sentences with the -(i)śk suffix, in which case it can be regarded as a passive construction (6). Alternatively, it can have accusative case, which excludes a traditional passive analysis (7). It should be noted that the subject of the corresponding active transitive sentence is a nominal in instrumental case in both sentence types (6), (7) (cf. F. Gulyás – Speshilova 2014: 68–69).

Szerző: Laura Horváth


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