Title When one is singular: Notes on zero-person constructions in Latvian /
Authors Nau, Nicole Charlotte
DOI 10.15388/SBOL.2021.13
ISBN 9786090706350
eISBN 9786090706367
Full Text Download
Is Part of Studies in Baltic and other languages: a festschrift for Axel Holvoet on the occasion of his 65th birthday / Peter Arkadiev, Jurgis Pakerys,Inesa Šeškauskienė, Vaiva Žeimantienė (eds.).. Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2021. p. 248-267.. ISBN 9786090706350. eISBN 9786090706367
Keywords [eng] zero person ; impersonals ; referentiality ; agreement ; Latvian
Abstract [eng] Axel Holvoet has demonstrated that Latvian has two types of zero-person constructions which formally differ in grammatical number, and that the singular type has a parallel in Finnic, but not in Lithuanian. This paper shows that the meanings covered by the two types are distinct and do not overlap. Using the framework proposed by Gast and van der Auwera for the description of human impersonal pronouns, it is shown that the singular type is characterized by non-veridicality and an internal perspective. As in Finnish, but not Estonian, it is used in conditional sentences with all kinds of verbs. The plural type is used in Latvian as well as in Lithuanian with veridical propositions and an external perspective.
Published Vilnius : Vilniaus universiteto leidykla, 2021
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2021
CC license CC license description