Marking of causal relationships (Surgut Khanty)

CauseV: Causal relationships are marked by a special verb form in the reason clause.

CauseWV2: Causal relationships are marked by an independent word (conjunction) in the reason clause.

+WV1: Causal relationships are marked by an independent word (referent) in the main clause.


(1a) ūɣ-əm kəčə woʌ-m-aʌ-at, lēkar-nam mən-əm.

head-1sg sick be-pst.ptc-3sg-fin I doctor-apr go-pst.1sg

‘Because I had a headache, I went to see the doctor.’ (L. N. K.)


(1b) lēkar-nam ťūt-at mən-əm, ūɣ-əm kəčə woʌ.

I doctor-apr I-fin go-pst.1sg head-1sg sick be.pst.3sg

‘I went to see the doctor because I had a headache.’ (L. N. K.)


(2a) wertaljot ʌüw-at əntə wəj-m-aʌ pətan mīša wɔ̄č-nam əntə mən.

helicopter he/she-acc neg pick_up-pst.ptc-3sg because Misha town-apr neg go.pst.3sg

‘Misha didn’t go to the town because the helicopter didn’t pick him up.’ (L. N. K.)


(2b) mīša wɔ̄č-nam əntə mən ťūt-at, čəkə wertaljot ʌüw-at əntə wəj.

Misha town-apr neg go.pst.3sg that-fin because helicopter he/she-acc neg pick_up.pst.3sg

‘Misha didn’t go to the town because the helicopter didn’t pick him up.’ (L. N. K.)


Traditionally, causal relationships are coded by participles (present or past participles) in Surgut Khanty which take the -at instructive-finalis suffix (1a) or the pәtan ‘because’ postposition (2a). In contemporary Khanty, a subordinate construction has also appeared which contains a connective element and/or a conjunction, and two finite verbs (1b), (2b).

Author: 

Márta Csepregi