Existential constructions in the Yakut language: a model of causation of the beginning of existence

Sivtseva Nataliia ORCID: 0000-0001-5569-022X PhD in Philology Senior Researcher, Institute for Humanitarian Research and North Indigenous People Problems of Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science 677027, Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk, Petrovsky str., 1, office 205 sivna@mail.ru

Introduction. A sentence, as the basic syntactic unit, is expressed in a model. The model is a sample combining the invariants of minimal structural schemes that ensure the completeness of a sentence, and generalized propositions correlated with them ^{[11, pp. 64-76; 17, pp. 56-61; 18, pp. 6; 19, pp. 46-57]}. In this article, based on the provisions of theoretical research on existential syntactic units ^{[1, pp. 229-238; 2, 198 p.; 9, 25 p.; 10, pp. 149-154; 15, pp. 26 p.; 20, pp. 78-81; 21, pp. 203-206; 22, 22 p.; 23, pp. 115-123]}, one of the models of existential constructions is considered as a constituent of the corresponding functional and semantic field in the Yakut language. The purpose of this article is to present a model of causation of the beginning of existence in accordance with the principles of functional semantic analysis. The relevance of this article is due to modern approaches in the study of the Yakut language as a system represented by multi-level means of its expression. The basis of this study is a functional-semantic approach to the study of language phenomena, which assumes a holistic organization of universal semantic categories, represented by their specific content and means of expression ^{[3, pp. 52-53; 4, 208 p.]}. The study uses the continuous sampling method in the formation of material from lexicographic sources, the modeling method, and the glossing method to represent illustrative material. The article is a continuation of the research devoted to the study of verbs of being in the Yakut language, their text-forming function ^{[12, 13, 14]}. For the first time, the study examines the causation model of the beginning of existence in accordance with the principles of functional and semantic analysis.

The causation model of the beginning of existence. The typical meaning of the model is "to give (give) the beginning to any event, phenomenon, contribute to the appearance, emergence of someone or something" ^{[5, p. 366]}. The model includes the following components: 1) the subject; 2) the object; 3) the predicate of the existential type, expressed by the verbs of the initial phase of being, existence. The subject in this model can be expressed by a noun or a pronoun in the main case, an object by a noun or a pronoun in the accusative case, a predicate by a verb of being, denoting the initial phase of being, existence.

The block diagram of the model looks like this:

N(PRON) N-ACC(PRON-ACC) Vex,

where N is the noun in the main case, PRON is the pronoun in the main case, N–ACC is the noun in the accusative case, PRON-ACC is the pronoun in the accusative case, Vex is the verb of being.

In the model under consideration, the following verbs can be used as a predicate: tutte 'to found, create something; to start something, to start something', olohtoo 'to populate, settle, instill; establish; justify', sa?alaa 'to start any action; to begin', torot 'to give birth, to give birth, to give birth, to bring into the world.’ The subject and object can be expressed by a noun, a pronoun, denoting an animate or inanimate person.

Structural types of the causation model of the beginning of existence. In accordance with the forms of the subject and object included in the considered model, its variants are divided into the following structural types:

1) N N-ACC Vex, where N is the noun in the main case, N-ACC is the noun in the accusative case, Vex is the verb of being. Example:

Mannyk byyy kytaanakh ugh-and olokhto-that

A similar circumstance is a strict habit-ACC justify-PRET-3SG

"Such a circumstance justified a strict habit."

2) N PRON-ACC Vex, where N is the noun in the main case, PRON-ACC is the pronoun in the accusative case, Vex is the verb of being. Example:

Dyakhtar kini-ni toro-p-put-e

Woman he (she)-ACC give birth-CAUS-NPST-3SG

'A woman gave birth to him (her).'

3) PRON N-ACC Vex, where PRON is a pronoun in the main case, N–ACC is a noun in the accusative case, Vex is a verb of being. Example:

Kini utu byhy-ny tutte-bit-e

He (she)  good custom-ACC to found-NPST-3SG

'He founded a good custom.'

4) PRON PRON-ACC Vex, where PRON is a pronoun in the main case, PRON–ACC is a pronoun in the accusative case, Vex is the verb of being. Example:

Kini bihigi-ni toro-p-put-e

She we-ACC give birth-CAUS-NPST-3SG

'She gave birth to us.'

The specified structural types of the causation model of the beginning of existence can formally include variants in which the subject and object are expressed by a substantive adjective, participle. Such variants are not actively used in the Yakut language, their use is permissible only in a narrowly contextual aspect. In the model under consideration and its structural types, the subject is always represented in the form of the main case in the plural or singular. The object expressed in its variants in the form of the accusative case in the plural or singular, in some cases is understood as definite, with an indication of a specific allocation ^{[2, p. 133]}, sometimes it can be perceived as indefinite when the noun denotes the subject in a generalized generic meaning.

The verb in the causation models of the beginning of existence. The basic verbs of the lexico-semantic group of verbs, denoting the initial phase of being, existence, are the verbs tore 'to found, create something; to start something, to start something', olohtoo 'to populate, settle, infuse; establish; justify', sa?alaa 'to take any action to begin', to give birth, to give birth, to give birth, to bring into the world'.

Constructions with the verb of being are called "to found, to create something; to start something, to start something" are used in the meaning of "to start something, to found, to create something" ^{[7, p. 567]}:

Kuranche Bootur o?oloro uuhaan-teniyen, Orguot nehiliegin torutteebitter

Kuranche Botur child-POSS.3PL multiply-CVB.PAST spread- CVB.PAST Erget nasleg-POSS.3SG-ACC to found-NPST-3PL

"The children of Kuranche Botur, multiplying and spreading, founded the Ergeti nasleg."

Constructions with the verb of being olokhtoo 'to inhabit, settle, infuse; establish; justify' are used in the following meanings ^{[7, pp. 559-560]}:

LSV1: 'to inhabit; to inhabit, to settle, to place, to determine a place to live', for example:

Omoi Baai walun Ellei walattara koigoloon, ilin bult siriger Allan urer olokhtuullar

Omogoy Baai son-POSS.3SG Elley wal-PL-POSS.3SG oppress-CVB.PAST, East hunting land-POSS.3SG-DAT Allan river-POSS.3SG-DAT olokhtoo-PRES-3PL

"The sons of Ella, oppressing the son of Omoga Bai, settled in the eastern hunting lands, on the Allan River."

LSV2: 'to help someone get a family, a household.' Example:

O?olorbutun diэe-wat teriyen olohtuohput

Child-POSS.3PL-ACC home-hearth to organize-CVB.PAST to settle-FUT-3PL

"By organizing a hearth house, we will help our children settle down."

LSW3: 'install, organize something':

Bihigi teriltabitin 1935 syllaakha olokhtoobuttara

We are an organization-3PL-ACC 1935-PROPR-DAT founded-NPST-3PL

"Our organization was founded in 1935."

LSV4: 'to found'. Example:

X ara tordoh buruo tyynnaah sobuottardaah Baara?Ai quarattary olohtootubut

Black Soot smoke spirit-PROPR factory-PL-PROPR huge city-PL-ACC found-PRET-3PL

"They founded huge cities with factories with the spirit of black soot and smoke."

Constructions with the verb of being sa?alaa are used in the meaning of 'to begin any action; to begin, to begin' ^{[6, p. 134]}:

En munna?y sa?alaa

You are meeting-ACC to start-PRES-2SG

'You start the meeting';

En aa?argyn sa?alaa

You read-PRES-POSS.2SG-ACC start-PRES-2SG

'You start your reading.'

In some cases, using the verb sa?alaa in the meaning of 'starting an action with someone or something or from somewhere', the situation of causation of the beginning of an action from a certain place, time, object or concept is transmitted:

Ole?in aantan sa?alaa

Work-POSS-2SG door-ABL start-PRES-2SG

'Start your work from the door';

Ole?in sudurguttan sa?alaa

Job-POSS-2SG simple-ABL get started-PRES-2SG

'Start your job with a simple one';

Ole?in us chaastan sa?alaa

Work-POSS-2SG three hour-ABL start-PRES-2SG

'Start your work at three o'clock';

Ula?in sa?a sireiten suruyan sa?alaa

Job-POSS-2SG new page-ABL start-PRES-2SG

'Start writing your work from a new page';

Ula?in e?erdatten sa?alaa

Job-POSS-2SG congratulations-ABL get started-PRES-2SG

'Start your work with congratulations.'

Constructions with the verb of being torot 'to give birth, to give birth, to give birth, to bring into the world' are found in the following meanings ^{[7, pp. 559-560]}:

LSV1: 'to bring into the world, to give birth to someone (about a woman, female animals)':

Yt tietei-en-tietei-en ikki hara?a suoh o?o-nu toro-t-or

Dog hurry-CVB.PAST-hurry-CVB.PAST two eyes-POSS.3SG baby-ACC give birth-CAUS-PRES-3SG

'A dog, in a hurry, gives birth to a blind puppy.'

Kini won ikki oo-nu toro-t-t

She's twelve baby-ACC give birth-CAUS-PRET-3SG

'She gave birth to twelve children.'

Kyys-tara kyys o?o-nu toro-p-put

Daughter-POSS.3PL daughter baby-ACC give birth-CAUS-NPST-3SG

'Their daughter gave birth to a girl.'

LSW2: 'to give rise to the emergence, the origin of something, to create something (about a thought, feeling, phenomenon)':

Taptal torotor bars of yraahy, Taptal torotor bars of uluunu

Love to give birth-CAUS-PRES-3SG all purity-ACC, Love to give birth-CAUS-PRES-3SG all great-ACC

'Love gives birth to all that is pure, Love gives birth to all that is great.'

Kuha?an kuha?any torotor

Bad bad-ACC give birth-CAUS-PRES-3SG

'Bad begets bad.'

"Kyhyl Oyuun" cite oidomokko, elbeh mokkuoru, syyha-khalty sanaalary, syanalary tore

"Red Shaman" to fully understand-PASS-INF.NEG a lot of arguments-ACC error-infidelity thought-PL-ACC judgment-PL-ACC give birth-CAUS-NPST-3SG

"The Red Shaman, being not fully understood, has generated a lot of controversy, erroneous-incorrect thoughts, judgments."

Thus, the verb tutte 'to found, to create something; to begin something, to start something' denotes a situation of causation of the beginning of existence in the meaning of 'to start something, to found, to create something'. The verb olokhtoo 'to inhabit, settle, infuse; establish; justify' expresses this situation in three lexical and semantic variants: 1) 'to settle; to settle, to place, to determine a place to live', 2) 'to establish, organize something', 3) 'to establish'. The situation of causation of the beginning of existence is indicated by the verb sa?alaa in the following two meanings: 1) 'to start an action; to begin, to begin', 2) 'to start an action with someone, something or from somewhere'. The verb toro 'to give birth, to give birth, to give birth, to produce' represents the form of the motive voice from the verb toro 'to give birth, to be born, to appear, to arise' with the affix – t denoting an action prompted or allowed by a grammatical subject from another actor ^{[8, pp. 254-255; 13]}. The meaning of this pledge implies the presence of two subjects of action, one of which is the direct performer (logical subject), the other is the grammatical subject (subject of the sentence) and is associated with the meaning of the affix of the motive pledge ^{[16, p. 62]}. The verb torot 'to give birth, to give birth, to give birth, to bring into the world' denotes a situation of causation of the beginning of existence in two meanings: 1) 'to bring into the world, to give birth to someone. (about a woman, female animals)', 2) 'to give rise to the emergence, the origin of something, to create something. (about a thought, a feeling, a phenomenon)’.

Conclusion. The causation model of the beginning of existence with the typical meaning "to give (give) the beginning to any event, phenomenon, to contribute to the appearance, the emergence of someone or something" ^{[5, p. 366]} in the Yakut language consists of a subject, an object and an existential type predicate expressed by verbs of the initial phase of being, existence. In the considered model, as a predicate, there may be such basic verbs representing a subgroup of the causation of the beginning of the existence of a lexico-semantic group of verbs of being in the Yakut language, such as tort te 'to found, create something; to start something, to start something', olokhtoo 'to populate, settle, infuse; establish; justify', sa?alaa 'to start any action; to begin', to give birth, to give birth, to give birth, to bring into the world'. The subject and object can be expressed by a noun, a pronoun, denoting an animate or inanimate person. In accordance with the forms of the subject and object included in the considered model, its variants are divided into 4 structural types. It is revealed that in the considered model and its structural types, the subject is always represented in the form of the main case in the plural or singular. The object, expressed in its variants in the form of the accusative case in the plural or singular, in some cases is understood as definite, indicating a specific allocation, or as indefinite, when the noun denotes an object in a generalized generic meaning.

Symbols

2 – second person, 3 – third person, ABL – initial case, ACC – accusative case, CAUS – motive voice, CVB.PAST is the past adverbial participle, DAT is the dative case, FUT is the future tense, INF.NEG is the infinitive form in the negative aspect, N is the noun, NPST is the pre–past narrative tense, PL is the plural, POSS is the possessive name, belonging, PRES is the present–future tense, PRET is the recently past tense, PRON is a pronoun, PROPR is a proper noun, SG is a singular number, Vex is a verb of being.

Reduction

LSV is a lexical and semantic variant.