Agent marking on the verb (Surgut Khanty)

PM: Person marking of the agent is marked on the verb (through verbal agreement) regardless of whether the agent is, or could be, expressed by a full noun or a pronoun.


(1a) mīša ńāń ʌī-ʌ.

Misha bread eat.prs.3sg

‘Misha is eating bread.’


(1b) ńāń ʌī-ʌ-əm.

I bread eat-prs-1sg

‘I’m eating bread.’


(1c) nüŋ ńāń ʌī-ʌ-ən.

you bread eat-prs-2sg

‘You are eating bread.’


(2) nəŋ məŋa-t wū-ʌ-təɣ? wū-ʌ-əw.

you what-acc see-prs-2pl see-prs-1pl

‘Do you see us? Yes, we do.’


In Surgut Khanty, the verbal suffix reflects the number (sgdu, pl) and the person (1., 2., 3.) of the agent. Both nominal and pronominal agents can be omitted, if the agent is identifiable from the context.

Author: 

Márta Csepregi