(Udmurt)

PsblV & VPsbl

PsblV: Possibility is expressed through the use of an independent word that appears (indirectly or directly) before the verb.

VPsbl: Possibility is expressed through the use of an independent word that appears (indirectly or directly) after the verb.

(1)soberegineotćyjukiśty-nyjara.
afteronlythere.ILLgrainpourINFallowed
’Grain may be poured there only after it.’ (UdmCorp.)

(2)jarabešbarmak-enopony-ny,siľinty-je.
allowedbeshbarmakILLtooputINFmeathelyILL
’It can also be put into beshbarmak [food of Turkic peoples] instead of meat.’ (UdmCorp.)

(3)heľsinki-yntolaltešunyt,uram-yniźy-teknovetly-ny
HelsinkiINEwinterwarmstreetINEhatABEtoogoINF
lue.
be_possible
’It is warm in Helsinki in the winter, it is even possible to walk the streets without wearing a hat.’ (Keľmakov – Hännikäinen 2008: 108)

(4)syčespecialist-lyćikśulmaśky-tekluejurttetśot-yny.
suchspecialistdatfullworrycvb.negbe_possiblehelpgiveinf
’Such a specialist can be given assistance without any worry.’ (UdmCorp.)

(5)udmurt-josuža-nyno, šuldyrjaśky-nynobygat-oik.
udmurtPLworkINFtooentertainINFtoocan3PLPCL
’The Udmurt know how to work as well as how to have a good time.’ (UdmCorp.)

(6)monbygat-iśk-okylburgožja-ny,pićijakektyn-nyno
IcanPRS1SGpoemwriteINFlittledanceINFand
ymkreź-enšudy-ny!
mouthinstrumentINSCOMplayINF
’I can write poems, dance a little and play the jaw harp! (udmshundy.ru/archives/143)

In Udmurt, situational possibility is expressed using the auxiliaries jara ’can, may’, or lue ’may’ (lit. ’will_be’) with the infinitive or the verb bygatyny ’can, be able to’ and the infinitive (1)–(6) (see e.g. Keľmakov – Hännikäinen 2008: 108–109). Both head-final (1), (3), (5) and head-initial (2), (4), (6) orders are attested in all the three constructions. Head-initial patterns show correlations with dialectal and sociolinguistic factors (such as age) (Asztalos 2018: 109–113) .

Author: Laura Horváth


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