On the Functions of (-ow) in Southern Kurdish

Abstract

This study is intended to gauge and describe the role of the Kurdish linguistic element (-ow) in a coding object in southern Kurdish. This study is descriptive-analytic in which the data are collected from native speakers through interviews and natural conversations. Based on the linguistic distribution and the provided arguments in this paper, this linguistic element is named an object-marker enclitic. Analyzing the employed data indicates that this object-marker enclitic has, apparently, various roles. It is mainly accompanied by transitive verbs, however, it is found to accompany intransitive verbs as well. As for its distribution, it can both follow and precede object pronominal clitics. However, in a few cases, it is even prefixed to the verb. In terms of its meaning, it has a clear content meaning cross-referencing object in terms of person and number, though it has a fixed form (-ow). It can accompany many simple and complex verbs, though its presence is blocked by many other verbs. It can cross-reference to both definite and indefinite objects. Therefore, it is not sensitive to information distribution. In general, it has various roles of which object-marking and object-doubling are emphasized in this study.

Keywords

• object marker
• case
• enclitic
• southern kurdish