Oriental Studies (Aug 2018)
Models of a Simple Sentence S1 + N + (COPF) and S1 + ADJ + (COPF) in the Kalmyk Language: Preliminary Notes
Abstract
Since the Kalmyk Language belongs to the agglutinative type of languages, one should take into account some peculiarities when modeling structural schemes of a sentence. First, unlike Russian, the Kalmyk language lacks an indefinite (unconjugated) form of a verb, i.e. the infinitive. Secondly, as for the syntax, it is strongly fixed and left-branching. Thirdly, verbs and nouns can join personal-predicate particles (in terms of modern terminology, i.e. predictability of affixes). Additionally, researchers present the following preliminary schematic structures of a simple sentence in the Kalmyk language: 1) One compound scheme structures with nominal or verbal predicate (usually presented in spoken language); 2) Two compound schematic structures both with a nominal and verbal predicate; 3) More complicated scheme structures both with a nominal and verbal predicate. By focusing on one of the components it is possible to identify a nominal and verbal two compound scheme structures, whereas the character of the predicate nucleus scheme structures allows to identify two different scheme structures: verbal and linking respectively. The research considers two scheme structures: S1 + N + (COPf) and S1 + ADJ + (COPf). The predicate of the first two compound model is the noun in the nominative, genitive or joint case, coordinated with the subject; case affects the semantics of the scheme. The second model is made up of the subject which may function either as a noun lexeme (N) or as a quantitative or any other attributive noun phrase dependent on the subject; substantive pronoun (PRON), substantivized participle or adjective or any other substantivized part of speech and predicate adjective, accompanied by linking verbs, as well as different particles. The semantics of the following scheme structure S + ADJ + (COPf) is to express “the relationship between the subject and its predicate feature - property or quality”. The models of a simple sentence in the Kalmyk language are considered to be used in a very natural and regular way.
