Appositive Genitive in Classical Manchu

Abstract

In an attempt to adequately characterize what is commonly known as the “appositive genitive” in Classical Manchu, the use of the genitive case marker in [NP_1i -i　NP_2i] phrases (NP: noun phrase, -i: genitive case marker, _i: co-referential), this paper argues that NP₁ -i (men-i ‘we’ in the example below) is the genitive subject of a subordinate clause.

men-i hehe niyalma

1.PL.EXCL-i female person

‘we women’

A careful analysis of the usage of the copular verb bi- shows that:

1. contrary to the previous literature, the copula bi- in the imperfect adnominal form, when following a noun, does not usually appear on the phonetic surface, and

2. the genitive subject is possible in a clause with this zero copula.

This can be taken to indicate that the Manchu “appositive genitive” structure [NP_1i -i NP_2i] is a copular clause meaning ‘NP₁ is NP₂’ rather than a noun phrase meaning ‘NP₂ belonging to NP₁’.