Research Articles

A cross-linguistic perspective on converb constructions in Sylheti

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Abstract

This paper identifies cross-linguistic characteristics of converbs and describes how they function in Sylheti. Using examples from data collected during elicitation sessions with a Sylheti speaker in the Field Methods course at SOAS in 2015-2016, I show that Sylheti has converb constructions and that they function in a way specific to it.

The converb, as a linguistic category, is associated with an array of cross-linguistically attested characteristics. It has been defined by Haspelmath (1995) as a non-finite verb form that marks some sort of adverbial subordination. There are other cross-linguistic features that have been identified, relating to semantic and aspectual interpretations of converbs, the relations between converbal clauses and matrix clauses with regard to coreferentiality, and so on. In Sylheti, converbs show many of these characteristics, e.g., they are non-finite verb forms and do have an adverbial function. On the other hand, Sylheti converbs have language-particular functions which differ from other languages, especially with regard to aspectual and temporal interpretation, and coreferentiality requirements between the converbal clause and the matrix clause. The paper concludes with an analysis of the Sylheti constructions using Role and Reference Grammar, arguing that they are cosubordinate structures, rather than subordinate, as claimed by Haspelmath ...

Keywords: Haspelmath, Non-finite verb, converbs, Sylheti

How to Cite:

Dopierala, S., (2020) “A cross-linguistic perspective on converb constructions in Sylheti”, Language Documentation and Description 18, 92-111. doi: https://doi.org/10.25894/ldd89