This squib provides a short introduction into Hindi syntax, as far as it seems to be relevant for the grammaticalization of motion events in Hindi, and a summary of the most striking facts about the way Hindi grammaticalizes motion events. Within Talmy's (1985) terminology, Hindi probably is one of the clearer cases of a PATH language. Except for some (supposedly frequently used) MANNER encoding verbs like e.g. 'run', the notion of PATH can only be evoked by PATH-verbs. The set of MANNER-verbs that are compatible with the notion of PATH seems to only contain MANNER-verbs that can be observed to be compatible with a PATH interpretation in other (PATH)-languages (cf. Eve Clark, p.c.).
Table of Contents
A Introduction
B Hindi Syntax – some facts
C First comparison with English
D Stanford Hindi
E Manner encoding secondary predicates
F The postpositions and case markers
G Summary and additional facts
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper explores the syntactic and semantic mechanisms of motion event expression in Hindi, specifically focusing on how the language differentiates between PATH and MANNER components. It examines whether Hindi, classified as a PATH language, allows for the integration of manner-encoding verbs into directed motion constructions, compared to the flexibility seen in English.
- Analysis of Hindi as a PATH language within Talmy's (1985) typological framework.
- Investigation into the compatibility of MANNER-verbs with path-specifying locative phrases.
- Examination of caused-motion constructions and the constraints on verb usage.
- Evaluation of secondary predicates and their role in encoding manner.
- Comparison of Hindi syntactic structures with English and other languages regarding motion encoding.
Excerpt from the Book
C First comparison with English
Narasimhan (1998:4 ff.; forth N98) claims that Hindi patterns with French and Spanish (and not like Enlish):
Motion:
1. Dibbaa-0 guuhee-mee ghusaa/ gayaa/ *bahaa.
Box-NOM cave-LOC entered/ went/ *floated
The box entered/went in(to)/*floated in(to) the cave.
2. Dibbaa-0 guuhee-mee bahakar ghusaa/ gayaa.
Box-NOM cave-LOC float-BY entered/ went
The box entered/went in(to) the cave floating.
Summary of Chapters
A Introduction: Provides an overview of Hindi syntax as it pertains to the grammaticalization of motion events, positioning Hindi as a PATH language.
B Hindi Syntax – some facts: Outlines core features of the language, such as case marking, postpositions, split ergativity, and SOV word order.
C First comparison with English: Presents comparative evidence showing that Hindi, unlike English, restricts the use of manner-verbs in directed motion contexts.
D Stanford Hindi: Utilizes additional data to clarify the interaction between PATH and MANNER in directed vs. non-directed motion events.
E Manner encoding secondary predicates: Discusses the three non-finite forms used to express manner through secondary predicates and their specific semantic distributions.
F The postpositions and case markers: Lists the inventory of postpositions and case markers used to define spatial relations and movement.
G Summary and additional facts: Concludes with a synthesized overview of Hindi motion constraints and discusses caused-motion verb limitations.
Keywords
Hindi syntax, motion events, PATH language, MANNER-verbs, Talmy, case markers, postpositions, directed motion, caused motion, secondary predicates, linguistics, typology, lexicalization, grammar, spatial relations
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the linguistic analysis of how Hindi grammaticalizes motion events, specifically examining the distinction between PATH and MANNER encoding.
What is the central research question?
The research investigates how Hindi handles the integration of manner-of-motion verbs into constructions describing directed motion compared to other languages like English.
How is Hindi classified typologically?
Hindi is classified as a PATH language according to Talmy’s (1985) terminology, meaning it primarily uses verbs to encode the path of motion rather than the manner.
What scientific methods are applied?
The author uses a comparative linguistic approach, analyzing elicited native speaker data and existing corpus research to test syntactic hypotheses.
What role does the main body play?
The main body systematically breaks down the syntactic constraints, the use of locative phrases, the role of postpositions, and the limitations of manner-encoding verbs in directed motion.
What are the characterizing keywords?
Key terms include PATH language, MANNER-verbs, Hindi syntax, directed motion, and lexicalization patterns.
Does Hindi allow manner-verbs in directed motion?
Generally, no; Hindi shows strict constraints where MANNER-verbs are typically incompatible with path-specifying phrases, unlike the more flexible English.
How are caused-motion events treated in Hindi?
Caused-motion events in Hindi mirror the behavior of intransitive motion verbs, where the language exhibits less flexibility in using activity verbs to encode change-of-location.
What are secondary predicates in this context?
Secondary predicates are non-finite verbal forms that allow speakers to add manner information to a core motion verb construction.
- Quote paper
- Tim Florian Jaeger (Author), 2002, Motion events in Hindi, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/45473
