Periphrastic causatives (Surgut Khanty)

IntPfrCC: Causatives are expressed through the use of a nonfinite verb form, special verbal mood, and either a verbal case affix or a special particle in the clause expressing the caused event. This type is known as an intentional causative construction.


(1a) āŋki järnas jɔ̄nt-əʌ.

mother dress sew-prs.3sg

‘The mother is sewing a dress.’ (L. N. K.)


(1b) āŋki järnas jɔ̄nt-taɣə pārt-əʌ.

mother dress sew-inf order-prs.3sg

‘The mother is having a dress made.’ (L. N. K.)


(1c) āŋki ťēťope-m järnas jɔ̄nt-taɣə pārt-əʌ.

mother I aunt-1sg dress sew-inf order-prs.3sg

‘The mother is making my aunt sew a dress for her.’ (L. N. K.)


(1d) āŋki ťēťope-m ńəŋe-m kiča järnas jɔ̄nt-taɣə pārt-əʌ.

mother I aunt-1sg sister-1sg for dress sew-inf order-prs.3sg

’The mother is making my aunt sew a dress for my sister.’ (L. N. K.)


In Surgut Khanty, the causative of transitive verbs is express periphrastically with the conjugated form of the pārt­ ‘order’ verb and the infinitive of the verb that refers to the caused event (1b). The causer and the causee of the periphrastic causatives are both in the nominative case, although the causee is the object of the construction (1c).

Author: 

Márta Csepregi