In:Historical Linguistics 2017: Selected papers from the 23rd International Conference on Historical Linguistics, San Antonio, Texas, 31 July – 4 August 2017
Edited by Bridget Drinka
[Current Issues in Linguistic Theory 350] 2020
► pp. 143–160
Ergative from passive in Proto-Basque
Published online: 9 July 2020
https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.350.07mar
https://doi.org/10.1075/cilt.350.07mar
Abstract
This paper is an abbreviated version, in English, of Martínez-Areta (2016), in which I argue that the ergative alignment of historical Basque came about as a result of an active reanalysis of
passive predicates in Proto-Basque. This view has been previously defended by Trask (1977),
who drew on the template of finite verbs. Since the first slot of intransitives (representing S) and of transitives (representing P)
are identical, P must have been also a clause-level S at a previous stage prior to an active reanalysis of passive clauses. I attempt
to solve some problems of Trask’s proposal, and suggest that some finite verbs of the past/irrealis beginning with A actually come
from active clauses.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 2.Verbal morphology of Basque
- 3.History of the research on the Basque finite verb
- 4.The present
- 5.The past and the irrealis
- 6.Split ergativity in Basque
- 7.Several additional features that the ergative from passive hypothesis can explain
- 8.Conclusions
Acknowledgements Notes Abbreviations References
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