Morphology of the imperative (Synja Khanty)

ImpSpecSgSpecPl: Second-person singular and plural each have a specific imperative form.


jāstati

‘to speak’

Indeterminate (nominal) conjugation


Determinate (transitive) conjugation

singular object

dual object

plural object

Sg2

jāst-a!

jāst-i!

jāst-aln!

jāst-aln!

Pl2

jāsta-ti!

jāst-aln!

jāst-aln!

jāst-aln!

Onina 2009: 39‒40


The imperative has an overt marker in the second-person singular and the second-person plural in Synja Khanty. The imperative marker reflects the number of the subject (singular, dual, plural) and the number of the object (singular, dual, plural). However, the forms implying dual and plural referents are homonymous, and they are the same as the imperative form referring to a singular object with a plural subject (Onina 2009: 39‒40, Honti 1984: 47‒49).

Author: 

Nikolett F. Gulyás