La formación del infinitivo en el euskera (reconstrucción interna)
Abstract
In this study, the author analyses the formers of the infinitive in the Basque language from the standpoint of internal reconstruction. According to the author, the system of verb conjugation in Basque evolved from the system of noun declination, the formers of the declination playing the part of verbifiers. Spatial relationships became time relationships. Basing himself on this theory, the author proposes internal etymologies for the verbifying suffixes in Basque -n, -i and -tu (-du). The former -n is identified with the locative suffix -n (cf. etxea-n “in the house”, mendia-n “on the mountain”, etc.) and the verbifier -i is compared to the adjective former -i (cf. berr-i “new”, garr-i “suitable”, etc.), while not excluding the etymological relationship with the former of the dative -i (cf. Simon-i “to Simon”, Mikel-i “to Michael”, etc.) and the plural -ei (cf. gizon-ei “to the men”, mendi-ei “to the mountains”, etc.). In the author’s opinion, the verbifying suffix -tu (-du) is not a Latin loanword, but rather an original component related to the formers -tsu, -tzu and -zu, the palatalised varieties of the suffix -tu (-du).
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References
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Copyright (c) 2003 Vahan Sarkisian

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