Ali Safari
Abstract
The aim of this article is to study the split ergative construction in southern Tati dialects. The ergative construction can be seen in perfect aspect and in verbs which are derived ...
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The aim of this article is to study the split ergative construction in southern Tati dialects. The ergative construction can be seen in perfect aspect and in verbs which are derived from past stem. In this case, the agent and the object in transitive sentences are marked respectively with oblique and direct case. In intransitive sentences, only the argument of the verb is marked with direct case. The split ergativity has been described and compared in different Tati dialects. As it is shown, the split ergative in these dialects is disappearing and is being replaced with the nominative/accusative system due to the influence of Persian and Azeri which are languages without an ergative system. Eshtehardi is the most conservative dialect in which ergative system has been preserved. In other dialects, the agent has lost its oblique case. Following Yang (2000) the external and internal factors are considered to be effective in changing the ergative into nominative/accusative system.
