the /a/→/aj/ shift in russian verbs

SLS Indiana Sept 06 1

The /a/→/aj/ Shift in Russian Verbs

Hierarchies and Markedness

Tore NessetUniversity of Tromsø


(1) The /a/→/aj/ Shift

Pre-C stem:Pre-V stem:

igra-l igraj-ut




igra-l igraj-ut




igra-l igraj-ut

murlika-l murličØ-ut



Pre-C stem: Pre-V stem:

igra-l igraj-ut

murlika-l murličØ-utmurlikaj-ut

Non-productive /a/ suffix replaced by productive /aj/


(7) Two questions

• Which verbs show /a/→/aj/ shift?

• Which inflected forms show /a/→/aj/ shift?


(8) Hypothesis

Marked/non-prototypical verbs/verb forms show /a/→/aj/ shift.


(9) Root-Final Consonant

• Place:

– Labial – Dental – Velar

• Manner:

– Plosive – Fricative – (Sonorant)

• Consonant mutation

– Unmarked – Marked


(10) Root-Final Place

DentalVelar

Labial

76

20

4

15

75

10

22

33

44

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

50-100% -aj

0-49% -aj

-aj not attested


(11) Root-Final Manner

Velarplosive Velar

fricative Dentalplosive Dental

fricative

13

73

13

20

80

0

68

26

6

100

00

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

50-100% -aj

0-49% -aj

-aj not attested


(12) Consonant Mutation

Unmarked: Marked:

Velar:k~č

g~ž

sk~š’:

zg~ž’:

Dental:t~č

d~ž

st~š’:

d~žd:



Unmarked: Marked:

Velar:k~č

g~ž

sk~š’:

zg~ž’:

Dental:t~č

d~ž

st~š’:

d~žd:



Unmarked: Marked:

Velar:k~č

g~ž

sk~š’:

zg~ž’:

Dental:t~č

d~ž

st~š’:

d~žd:

• Unmarked:Target is single C

• Marked: Target is long C or 2 Cs


(13) Impact of Consonant Mutation

Velarunmarked Velar

marked Dentalunmarked Dental

marked

17

75

8

17

67

17

80

20

0

40

20

40

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

50-100% -aj

0-49% -aj

-aj not attested


(14) Root Shape HierarchyRoot

Dental Velar Labial

Fricative Plosive

Markedalternation

Unmarkedalternation

Suffix: /a/ Suffix: /aj/


(14) Root Shape and MarkednessRoot

Dental Velar Labial

Fricative Plosive

Markedalternation

Unmarkedalternation




Dental Velar Labial

Fricative Plosive

Markedalternation

Unmarkedalternation




Dental Velar Labial

Fricative Plosive??

Markedalternation

Unmarkedalternation



(15) Root Shape and Hypothesis

• Confirming evidence:

– Marked/non-prototypical roots tend to show

/a/→/aj/ shift.

• Problem:

– Are dental fricatives less marked than

dental plosives?


(16) Inside the paradigm

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

3 sg 3 pl 1 pl 1 sg Imp sg Gerund


(17) The /aj/% Hierarchy

Gerund ≥

Imperative ≥

1 singular ≥

1 plural ≥

3 plural ≥

3 singular


(18) Hierarchy and markedness

• Hierarchy corresponds roughly to markedness if– Non-finite — Finite

– Imperative — Indicative

– 1st person — 3rd person

– Plural — Singular


(19) Problem: 1 sg and 1 pl

Gerund ≥

Imperative ≥

1 singular ≥

1 plural ≥

3 plural ≥

3 singular


(22-23) Conclusions

• The /a/ /aj/ shift depends on ➝systematic interaction of hierarchically ordered factors:– The Root Shape Hierarchy– The Inflectional Paradigm Hierarchy

• The /a/ /aj/ correlates with ➝markedness/prototypicality(although the correlation isn’t perfect)


(24) Theoretical implication

Verb classes and inflectional paradigms

behave like structured networks,

not like unordered lists.


(25) More questions

• Is frequency relevant?

• Do verbs with “postfix” -sja behave differently?

• What about prefixed verbs?

• And development over time?


Thanks to

Hyugh Anh John Korba

Chris Wiesen

the /a/→/aj/ shift in russian verbs

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