THE PROPRIETIVE SUFFIX -TAJ IN MONGOLIAN
This article aims to provide an overview of the proprietive suffix -TAJ in Khalkha Mongolian, and to reveal some aspects of the suffix. Firstly, we survey its characteristics and related expressions, with reference to descriptions provided in the literature. Secondly, it is claimed that the proprietive suffix, which has been classified as a derivational suffix, also shares some characteristics with inflectional suffixes. Thirdly, we explore the relationship between the proprietive and comitative suffixes, one topic that has long been under discussion in Mongolian studies because discrimination between (or the identification of) the two suffixes is not easy due to their identical phonological shape. Fourthly, some semantic characteristics of the derivatives formed by attaching -TAJ are pointed out, focusing in particular on the semantics of the base. Finally, a possible analysis of sentences is presented where derivatives using -TAJ such as xereg-tej “it is necessary that” and jos-toj “ought to” appear in the final position.
Keywords: derivation, inflection, possession, comitative, lexical integrity, auxiliary
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Issue: 1, 2014
Series of issue: Issue № 1
Rubric: LINGUISTICS
Pages: 56 — 75
Downloads: 1847