Abstract
The Circassian languages (Northwest Caucasian) exhibit ergative patterns both in case marking and in the alignment of agreement markers in the verb. Ergative/absolutive case marking is restricted to certain types of nominals, which thus results in split-ergativity. The paper examines the marking of ergative/absolutive case in various types of nominals and relates the distribution to the Nominal Hierarchy.
The Circassian languages Adyghe (West Circassian) and Kabardian (East Circassian) belong to the West Caucasian languages. They are spoken by 568.000 in the Caucasus and also by great numbers in Turkey and other neighbouring countries. The problem of ergativity in the Circassian languages is treated in works such as Jakovlev & Ashkhamaf 1941, Rogava & Kerasheva 1966, Taov 1967, Zekokh 1967, Kumakhov 1971, 1989, Gishev 1985, Kumakhov & Vamling to appear.
The Circassian languages Adyghe (West Circassian) and Kabardian (East Circassian) belong to the West Caucasian languages. They are spoken by 568.000 in the Caucasus and also by great numbers in Turkey and other neighbouring countries. The problem of ergativity in the Circassian languages is treated in works such as Jakovlev & Ashkhamaf 1941, Rogava & Kerasheva 1966, Taov 1967, Zekokh 1967, Kumakhov 1971, 1989, Gishev 1985, Kumakhov & Vamling to appear.
| Original language | English |
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| Volume | 45 |
| Publication status | Published - 1996 |
Publication series
| Name | Working Papers, Lund University, Dept. of Linguistics |
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| Volume | 45 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Comparative Language Studies and Linguistics