Multiple meaning as a kind of iterative repetition in the Yakut language

Samsonova Ekaterina Maksimovna ORCID: 0000-0001-7870-3097 PhD in Philology Senior Researcher; Institute of Humanitarian Studies and Problems of Small Indigenous Peoples of the North SB RAS 677027, Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk, Petrovsky str., 1, room 301 samsonova_em@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Multiplicity of action refers to one of the most universal aspectual concepts characteristic of many languages of the world. The question of the quantitative side of events has attracted the attention of researchers since the appearance of the first grammatical works and has not lost its relevance to the present day. One of the most common approaches to studying the multiplicity of actions in the Russian linguistic tradition remains the principle of research "from function to means" (Yu.S. Maslov ^[9], A.V. Bondarko ^[2], A.M. Shelyakin ^[19], V. S. Khrakovsky ^{[17, 18]}, I. B. Dolinina ^[6] and Here, iterativity, along with multiplicativity and distributivity, is considered as one of the main components of the semantic structure of the functional-semantic field of repetition of action. Unlike other varieties of this field, iterativity describes the "repeated, relatively regular, implementation of a situation" when "each recurring situation occurs in a separate period of time" ^{[18, p. 41]}. Since an iterative value is not always understood in connection with quantification semantics, difficulties arise in identifying its subtypes. Based on the material of the Yakut language, the most well-established, in our opinion, differentiation of the actual multiple, habitual, generic meanings and the "individual state" is quite applicable to it. Among them, the ambiguity of the definition and terminological designation is distinguished by the so-called "proper multiple meaning", which implies, in general, an uncomplicated repetition of the action. As a separate independent type of iterative multiplicity, it is distinguished by I.B. Dolinina and implies "repetition of actions a certain or indefinite number of times, in certain repetitive conditions, with varying frequency, etc.", while having "always one or another temporal relationship" ^{[6, p. 233]}. In earlier works, such meanings were considered separately from the semantic types of repetition (multiple situations). For example, V. S. Khrakovsky designates them as "a certain multiplicity" or "a quantitative account of situations", in which accurate, inaccurate and approximate accounts differ ^{[17, pp. 131-132; 18, p. 22]}. When compiling the classification of multiple meanings of the Russian imperfect form by E. V. Paducheva, the values of definite and indefinite multiplicity are distinguished ^{[10, p. 26]}. Definite-multiple and indefinite-multiple repeatability in L. M. Roshchina's study are attributed to varieties of irregular repeatability ^{[12, p. 22]}. A. B. Shluinsky considers statements with similar semantics as an "iterative" containing "an indication only of the fact that the situation occurs repeatedly" ^{[20, p. 49]}. It is also necessary to mention here the studies of the participation of quantifiers (definite and indefinite) in the expression of the total value of the perfect type ^{[21, pp. 322-323]}. In this article, following I. B. Dolinina, it seems possible to distinguish in the Yakut language "proper multiple meaning" as a separate kind of iterative repetition.

The semantic structure of the meaning under consideration is traditionally represented by two varieties: when a situation can be repeated a certain (limited-multiple) or indefinite (unlimited-multiple) number of times ^{[6, p. 233]}. Based on the material of the Yakut language, we come to the conclusion that a certain/indefinite multiplicity does not always correlate with its limitation/unlimited, since an indefinite multiplicity can be both limited and unlimited. Therefore, in our opinion, three varieties of the proper multiple meaning can be distinguished here - a certain limited multiplicity, an indefinite limited multiplicity and an indefinite unlimited multiplicity.

As for the plan of expression of this meaning, as the researchers note, a common feature of accurate and inaccurate quantitative counting of situations is the fundamental designation by lexical means, in particular by the circumstances of multiplicity ^{[18, p. 50]}, or in another way by the circumstances of an account or an accounting complex ^{[15, p. 12]}, adverbs of measure and degree ^{[11, p. 58]}. In the Yakut language, the role of multiplicity circumstances is performed by adverbs formed from numerals, quantitative names, using the counting element togul 'raz' and reduplication. Despite the fact that the issues of the origin and functioning of adverbs have been mentioned more than once in grammatical studies ^{[1; 3; 16, etc.]}, the semantics of multiplicity did not stand out in them. The theoretical basis for correlating individual adverbs formed from numerals with certain varieties of proper multiple meanings can be the works devoted to the functional and semantic categories of quantification ^{[7; 8]} and certainty-uncertainty of the Yakut language ^{[13; 14]}. The study of the specifics of the intersection of functional-semantic fields and conjugated semantic categories allows, according to researchers, to most fully consider the complex of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of an action ^{[5, p. 46]}.

A certain limited multiplicity. An indication of a certain amount of repetition of an action or manifestation of a feature in the Yakut language is most often transmitted using adverbs formed from quantitative numerals using an affix -ta of Mongolian origin ^{[1, p. 463]} (ikkite 'two times', bieste 'five times', aҕyst' seven times', etc.). These adverbs show the exact amount of that how many times the action took place. For example:

Adverbs formed from ordinal numbers using the affix -yn (usuhun 'for the third time', basihin ' for the fifth time', etc.) indicate the number of times this action is performed, which implies a certain number of repetitions of the action that occurred before:

Since the origin of this affix -yn seems unclear, researchers suggest that it is an isolated form of the accusative case of the possessive declension (3rd person singular) ^{[16, p. 32]}, and cite the synonymous example (2) form uhuspun' letter. my third time'.

The meaning of "once again" can also be expressed by a combination of the quantitative numeral and the counting element togul 'raz':

On the basis of such a combination, through the verb-forming affix -laa, an adverbial form is formed, which also expresses the multiplicity of action, but with greater emphasis on the separation of repetition:

The equal distribution of the number of repetitions of the action is indicated by adverbs formed by attaching the affix -ta to dividing numerals formed from quantitative numerals using the affix -ly/-ty/-dyy/-ny: altalyta 'six times' (from altaly 'six'), wannuta 'ten times' (from wannuu 'ten') and etc . For example:

In some cases, it is supplemented by a specific indication of the separateness of the actant with the help of the separating numeral biirdia 'for one', sometimes depending on the context in the meaning of ' each ':

Since such adverbs imply the presence of a multiple actor (subject and/or object), they can also denote an equal distribution of objects ^{[3, p. 184]}. Therefore, in most cases, it is appropriate to talk about combining distributive and iterative values (we can conditionally call a distributive-iterative subtype). For example, depending on the lexical affiliation of the verb, most often in combination with some verbs, transfers and acquisitions acquire exclusively distributive semantics:

Or:

In the examples given, the separateness of the plural actant is emphasized with the help of the separating numeral birdia (7) and the postposition aaya (8) in the meaning of 'every'.

Indefinite limited multiplicity. A similar repetition of the situation is conveyed using the same means of expression as a certain multiplicity. The only difference is that adverbs are formed from approximate numerals, which, by the nature of their meaning, are understood "as an imperfectly defined number of objects or as an approximate calculation of them", indicate "an approximate or inaccurate number of objects" ^{[3, p. 182]}.

Adverbs formed from pairwise combinations of the names of the numbers of the first ten (from 1 to 9) have the least degree of uncertainty, since they "indicate the approximate number within one" ^{[3, p. 182]}: bieste-altata 'five-six times' (from biese-alta 'five-six'), un ikkite-uste' twelve-thirteen times' (from won ikki-us 'twelve-thirteen'), etc. Here it is necessary to consider separately the adverb biirde-ikkite 'one-two times' (from biir-ikki 'one-two'). If you look at the composition, it contains both a single and a refactive value. But in the text it is most often correlated with an indefinite unlimited multiplicity in the meaning of "a small number of times, several times, a little":

Since the range of morphologically formed approximate numerals is limited, since they are formed from the names of round tens and hundreds by means of the affix -cha/-che, then their use as a means of expressing multiplicity, in our opinion, cannot be too widespread: unchata 'okolo ten times' (from uncha 'okolo ten'), suurbechchet 'okolo twenty times' (from suurbechche 'okolo twenty'), etc. For example:

When naming a large number, the modal semantics of exaggeration is mainly manifested, it is most often used as an emotionally expressive means. For example:

The semantics of indefinite limited multiplicity can also be transmitted using adverbs formed by attaching the affix-ta to approximate numerals with the particle khas ' as follows: uste-hasta 'okolo three times' (from us-has 'okolo three'), bieste-hasta 'okolo five times' (from bies-has'okolo five'), etc. At the same time, in unlike adverbs formed from paired numerals, a large degree of uncertainty is felt, even there is some shade of neglect:

Adverbs formed by attaching the affix-ta to separative numerals, which are based on approximate numerals, imply an approximately equal distribution of the number of repetitions of an action or an equal distribution of objects: suurbechcheliite 'about twenty times each, about twenty for each', ikkiliite-ustute ' two or three times, two or three pieces for each'. As with limited repetition, the use of such adverbs most often implies the presence of a multiple actant-subject and directly depends on the form and semantics of the verb. Cf.:

Indefinite unlimited multiplicity. The circumstances of multiplicity or counting complex, which give the utterance unlimited multiplicity, are formed by reduplication, affixation and combination with the noun togul 'raz':

Reduplication of adverbs of a mode of action with a refactive meaning, such as xos ' repeat, repeat; again, again, opyat', hat ' again, again, repeatedly, secondary', forms adverbs with the semantics of a longer repetition: xos-xos ' repeat, again and again', hat-hat 'repeat'. For example: hos-hos capsaete 'I told you, repeat', hat-hat yyyyma 'don't ask again'.

Adverbs formed with the help of affixes from indefinite-quantitative names denote the number of repetitions in a general way, "without the help of numbers" ^{[3, p. 174]}: aҕyakhta'of a few times' (from aҕyakh' small, few'), elbehte' of a large number' (from elbeh'mnumber, many'), balachchata ' a fair number of times' (from balaccia ' pretty decent') . For example:

Adverbs formed from the same indefinite-quantitative names also have similar semantics with the help of the affix -tyk: aҕyyahtyk 'nem, several times, once-another ', elbechtik 'mny, many times ', ugustuk 'mny, often, many times ':

Depending on the time form of the predicate, statements with these adverbs can most often convey a habitual meaning, for example, as in example (18).

This also includes adverbs formed from indeterminately personal names with the particles yes, yes, yes, eme: hasta yes, hasta daҕany 'a few times' (from has da, has daҕany 'a few times'), hasta eme, hasta emite, hasta emate 'many times' (from has eme'a certain number, a lot, how many'), tocho eme, tocho emit (from tocho eme 'there is a lot, not a little'). For example:

The semantics of the repeatability of an action in this case can be emphasized by using a reduplicated adverbial participle, as, for example, in (20).

A separate consideration requires a certain/indefinite and limited/unlimited multiplicity of repetition of the situation, which may be limited to a certain period of time, for example, the circumstances of time in various forms (yyga ' in the month ', son iher ' in the year ', for the year ', sayin ustata ' in the summer ', kunuhun ' in the evening ', tuun 'night', sarsyardattan 'in the morning', buhun ' today ', beҕehe 'evening', sarsyn 'tomorrow', ula chaaha butuor dieri 'before the end of the working day', kyhyn buoluor dieri ' before the onset of winter', kystykka kiirieh innine ' before winter', etc.):

Such means are attributed by O. K. Grekova to a group with a poorly defined interval, since "the indicators of this group contain an indication of the intensity of multiplicity, but the interval of reproduction of the action cannot be unambiguously determined" ^{[4, p. 42]}. In the Yakut language, the repetition of a situation in a certain period of time, depending on the temporal form of the predicate, can express not only the actual multiple, but also the habitual meaning (with the form of the present-future tense and imperfect).

Thus, the analysis of the material of the Yakut language showed that the actual multiple meaning may well be considered as one of the varieties of iterative repetition. At the same time, the distinction on the basis of limitation / unlimited and definiteness / uncertainty of multiplicity turned out to be applicable to the Yakut language. It is established that limited multiplicity (both definite and indefinite) and indefinite unlimited multiplicity are expressed exclusively by adverbs acting as circumstances of multiplicity or counting complex. These adverbs are formed mainly in an affixal way from various digits of numerals (quantitative, ordinal, separative, approximate, indefinite-quantitative), in combination with the counting element togul'raz' and by reduplication. During the review of the functioning of the circumstances of multiplicity, it was revealed that, depending on the temporal form of the predicate (present-future tense and imperfect), they can also participate in the expression of habitual semantics.

Symbols in glosses:

1, 2, 3 – indicators of the first, second, and third person; ACC – accusative case; ADVLZ – indicator of adverb formation; CVB – adverbial; DAT – dative case; IMP – indicator of imperative; ITER – multiplicity; NPST – prematurely passed narrative tense; NUM.APRX – approximate numeral; NUM.DISTR – separating numeral; NUM.ORD – ordinal numeral; PCP.PST – past participle; PL – plural; POSS – indicator of belonging; POST – postposition; PRES – present-future tense; PRET – recent (past categorical) tense; PTCL – particle; RED – reduplication; SG – singular; VBLZ – indicator of verb formation.