Demonstrative and personal pronouns in non-subject (oblique) position (Northern Mansi)

NonSgPP~DemNonSubj: Although third-person pronouns exist, they can be substituted in non-subject position by non-singular demonstrative pronouns.


(1) am ēkwa nupǝl potert-ēγ-um.

I woman toward speak-prs-1sg

‘I’m talking to the woman.’ (T. M.)


(2) ām taw nupǝl potert-ēγ-um.

I he/she toward speak-prs-1sg

‘I’m talking to him/her.’ (T. M.)


(3) *am ta nupǝl potert-ēγ-um.

I that toward speak-prs-1sg

‘I’m talking to that.’ (T. M.)


(4) am ekwa-t nupǝl potert-ēγ-um.

I woman-pl toward speak-prs-1sg

‘I’m talking to the women.’ (T. M.)


(5) ām tait nupǝl potert-ēγ-um.

I that.pl toward speak-prs-1sg

‘I’m talking to them.’ (T. M.)


In Northern Mansi, personal and demonstrative pronouns are separate categories (Rombandeeva 1973; Kálmán 1979; Riese 2001). Demonstrative pronouns in non-subject positions cannot substitue singular personal pronouns (cf. (1), (2), (3)), but they can plural ones (cf. (4), (5)). For lack of sufficiently large corpus, the topic requires further research.

Author: 

Szilvia Németh