(Udmurt)

CopPred & PredCop

CopPred: The copula precedes the nonverbal predicate.

PredCop: The copula follows the nonverbal predicate.

(1)sodyšetiśval.
(s)heteacherCOP.PST
’(S)he was a teacher.’ (Asztalos 2018: 99)

(2)tulysnunal-jospumenkuź-eślu-o.
springdayPLgraduallylongPLCOP3PL
’The days get longer and longer in spring.’ (Gavrilova: 1970: 111)

(3)kol'l'ekci-osvaltužpörtem-eś.
collectionPLCOP.PSTverydifferentPL
’The collections were very different.’ (Mynam malpanjosy 17.04.2015)

(4)mivetl-i-myvamja-je (solu-o-zklińika,aľipuktiśk-ena).
wegoPST1PLVamjaILLitCOPFUT3SGhospitalnowbuilt3SGstill
’We went to Vamja (it will be a hospital, it is still being built).’ (Mynam malpanjosy 05.07.2014)

In Udmurt, the nonverbal part of the predicate usually precedes the copula (1)–(2), but it can also follow it (3)–(4) (Gavrilova 1970: 111, Asztalos 2018: 97–101). Out of the two word orders the nonverbal predicate–copula order is the more frequent (Gavrilova: ibid, Asztalos: ibid), but both are attested in pragmatically neutral sentences (Asztalos: ibid).

Author: Erika Asztalos


[🠐 back]