Nominal and locational predication (Northern Mansi)

SplitCopLoc: Locational predicates are formed with a copula or auxiliary; nominal predicates are not.

Cmnt: Although the language displays the features a value listed above, additional information is needed to clarify its type.


(1) taw jun ōli.
(s)he home cop.3sg
‘He/she is at home.’ (S. D.)


(2) taw matum ēkwa.
(s)he old woman
‘She is an old lady.’ (S. D.)


In Northern Mansi, the copula is compulsory in adverbial predicates (like time and space) for every number and person in the present tense (1). In contrast, the copula is not present next to nominal predicates (2). In the past tense, however, the copula is compulsory with both predicate types (Riese 2001).

Author: 

Szilvia Németh