Comparative-attenuative polysemy in Beserman Udmurt

Maria Cheremisinova
National Research University Higher School of Economics

Abstract. The paper describes semantics and unusual properties of Comparative marker =ges in Beserman Udmurt. The marker =ges is optional in comparative constructions, it can have attenuative meaning, and it can also mark finite verbs both in its attenuative use and in comparative constructions. In this paper I describe the properties of predicates to which marker =ges can be attached to and argue that in all contexts in order to use =ges, it is obligatory for the predicate to have a scale on which it would be possible to make the comparison.

Keywords: attenuative, comparative construction, comparative marker, polysemy, scale, Udmurt

For citation: Cheremisinova M. Comparative-attenuative polysemy in Beserman Udmurt. Typology of Morphosyntactic Parameters. 2019. Vol. 2, iss. 2. Pp. 128–150. (In Rus.)