Verb form in when-clauses (Synya Khanty)

WhenVDrkDiffT: The verb of a when-clause always appears in a special form, regardless of the features of the verb; however, the specific special form in which it appears (or can appear) depends on its temporal relationship to the verb of the main clause.

WhenVBal: The verb of a when-clause obligatorily appears in base form.


(1) ńāwrem-ǝt il ol-me-l jupi-jn, liza ān-lal loxǝt-ǝs.

child-pl away sleep-ptc.pst-3sg after-loc Liza dish-pl.3sg wash-pst.3sg

‘After the children fell asleep, Liza washed the dishes.’ (S. O.)


(2) miša kim ēt-tǝ-l jēlpi-jn, āp-lal il jār-s-ǝlli.

Misha out go-ptcp.prs-3sg before-loc dog-pl.3sg away tether-pst-obj.3sg

‘Before Misha left, he tethered the dogs.’ (S. O.)


(3) xūn miša jox-i loŋ-əs, maša kim ēta-s.

when Misha home-lat step-pst.3sg Masha out go-pst.3sg

‘When Misha entered the house, Mahsa left.’ (S. O.)


(4) miša jox-i loŋ-əs, maša kim ēta-s.

Misha home-lat step-pst.3sg Masha out go-pst.3sg

‘When Misha entered the house, Masha left.’ (S. O.)


In Synya Khanty, the temporal relationship between events can be expressed in three ways. The clauses containing finite verb forms can be connected without a special marker (4). Anterior and posterior relations are expressed with the help of converbs, present tense (2) and past tense (1) participles, and prefixed constructions. Occasionally, subordinate constructions are also used (3), where the main clause contains a connective element (Honti 1984: 102‒106, S. O., F. L.). In coordinations and subordinations (entailing connectives), the base form of the verb is used. The participles are expressed by special forms.

Author: 

Nikolett F. Gulyás