Direct-inverse language
Categories: Linguistic typology | Linguistics stubs
A direct-inverse language is one where morphosyntactic markers vary according to compliance or non-compliance with normal rules governing the neutral order of verb arguments with respect to the position of each on the animacy hierarchy, similar to the way that Indo-European neuters were not originally regarded as possible verbal agents. A more 'unusual' semantic occurrence not matching the expected syntactic role of the arguments as given by their animacy is marked on the verb, giving flexibility to what can act as an agent on a more animate patient. It is expected that word order in these languages is sufficiently free to allow rearranging of the neutral order of the verb arguments.
Most such languages place a direct or inverse marker onto verbs depending on the relative animacy and order of its arguments. The direct form is used when the subject has higher obviation status (i.e. topicality) or animacy, including person hierarchy, e.g. 1st > 2nd > 3rd, than the object, while the inverse form is used when the reverse is true.
Direct-inverse systems on verbs coexist with the various morphosyntactic alignments in nouns.
External links
- Yi and Bi: Proximate and Obviative in Navajo
- TYPOLOGY 5, Argument Structure and its Morphosyntactic Representation: Nominative/Accusative, Ergative/Absolutive, Active/Inactive, Direct/Inverse
- Lecture 8: Split Ergative and Inverse Systems
- Topic, Focus and Point of View in Blackfoot
- Inversion and Obviation in Mesoamerica