| Keywords [eng] |
clitics, Celtic languages, linguistic typology, morphology, syntax, comparative concept, klitikai, keltų kalbos, lingvistinė tipologija, morfologija, sintaksė, lyginamasis konceptas |
| Abstract [eng] |
This paper delves into the linguistic phenomenon known as ‘clitics’. By its most simple and widely accepted definition, clitics are short linguistic forms that have the syntactic characteristics of a word, but phonologically depend on another word or phrase. However, researchers often disagree on the exact definition of the phenomenon, or occasionally even its existence. This paper will provide a brief overview of the history of research conducted about this term (Haspelmath 2015, 2023; Spencer & Luis 2012; Zwicky 1977; Zwicky & Pullum 1983) as well as attempt to narrow it all down to a definition applicable in typological analysis. Said definition will then be used to identify clitics in the Celtic language family, namely the Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Manx, Breton and Cornish languages. Previous research has shown that these languages exhibit the aforementioned phenomenon to varying extents, however, little cross-language comparison between them has been conducted so far. The results will then be analyzed and a typology of possible clitic particles in Celtic languages drawn. Conclusions regarding the usage of this linguistic form will be made, as well implications for further research in linguistic typology on the elusive, and at times controversial, subject of clitics. |
