Word order of adverbial subordinators within finite clauses (Synja Khanty)

NoAdvSb: The language does not have adverbial subordinators.

InitAdvSb: An independent subordinator appears at the front of the subordinate clause.

FinalAdvSb: An independent subordinator appears at the end of the subordinate clause.

InternAdvSb: An independent subordinator appears within the subordinate clause.


(1) miša pā muw-a man-ti utśija-l, śit ūrǝŋǝn āŋľiskij jāsǝŋ ūtalti-l.

Misha other land-lat go-inf want-prs.3sg that because English language learn-prs.3sg

’Misha learns English because he would like to work abroad.’ (S. O.)


(2) xūn il ol-l-ǝm, luw wērat-l.

when away lie-prs-1sg (s)he make-prs.3sg

‘When I go to bed, (s)he is doing something.’ (Onina 2011: 18)


(3) muŋ xanti xojat-lǝw wērǝt-l-ǝt ki, tāś xɔ̄t-ǝn jax-l-ǝt.

we Khanty man-1pl can-prs-3pl if herd place-loc walk-prs-3pl

‘We Khanty people, when we can, work as reindeer shepherds.’ (Onina 2011: 31).


(4) wɔ̄j wēl-ti ki jaŋx-ǝs, matti wɔ̄j ki   mośat-ǝs,

animal kill-inf if go-pst.3sg something animal if   get-pst.3sg

jētǝn joxi joxet-l pā mośat-ǝm wɔ̄j-lal śita lēśat-l-elli.

evening home arrive-prs.3s and get-pst.ptc animal-pl.3pl there make-prs-obj.3sg

‘When he was hunting and he has killed some animal, having arrived home, he prepares the bagged 

animal there.’ (Onina 2011: 15)


In Synja Khanty, finite adverbial subordination has various types. The subordination can be used without a conjunction (1). If it entails a conjunction, it can be at the beginning of the subordinate clause (2), at the end of the subordinate clause (expressing conditional meaning) (3), or somewhere in between (cf. Honti 1984: 102‒106, Nikolaeva 1999a: 45‒46, Riese 1984: 101‒106, Sipos 2014, S. O., F. L.). The topic requires further research.

Author: 

Nikolett F. Gulyás