Radial Category Networks: Some Examples

Laura A. Jandalaura.janda@uit.no

Radial Categories in grammar• Russian prefix raz-• Czech dative case• North Saami postposition čađa

• Distribution of so-called “empty” prefixesv- pod- pere- pri- ot- v(o)z- u- iz- raz- vy- pro- na- o(b)- za- s- po-

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

3 6 930

55 57 63 6887

123142

177

226237

281

417

Russian has:• 1429 simplex verbs • that form 1981 Natural Perfectives• using 16 prefixes

4

The schematic idea of raz-: APART, as in RAZojtis’ ‘walk in different directions’

John Cleese in the Monty Python sketch “Ministry of silly walks”

1. APARTSP (38) raspilit’ ‘saw apart’NP (22) razgryzt’ ‘gnaw apart’

6. EXCITEMENTSP (29) raskalit’ ‘make red-hot’NP (16) razgorjačit’ ‘heat up, irritate’

4. SWELLSP (3) razdut’ ‘inflate’NP (9) raspuxnut’ ‘swell’

3. SPREADSP (30) raskatat’ ‘roll out’NP (17) razvetvit’sja ‘branch out’

2. CRUSHSP (7) rastoptat’ ‘trample’NP (5) razdavit’ ‘crush’

7. UN-SP (38) razgruzit’ ‘unload’

5. SOFTEN / DISSOLVESP (7) rastvorit’sja ‘dissolve’NP (6) rastajat’ ‘melt’

Russian RAZ-:Radial Category

The Czech Dative CaseSchematic idea: A Dative entity is a potential subject, capable of a further action

D

The Czech Dative Case: Three Major Nodes

D

D D

Dative: a receiver (Indirect Object, etc.)

Dative: an experiencer (Benefit, Harm, etc.)

Dative: a competitor (Matched Forces, Submission, etc.)

Radial Categories Within the Radial CategoryDative: a receiver

Giving: dát ‘give’, poslat ‘send’, objasnit ‘explain’

Giving self: představit se ‘introduce oneself’, věnovat se ‘devote oneself’

Giving messages: vyprávět ‘narrate’, kondolovat ‘express condolences’

Taking: vzít ‘take’, ukrást ‘steal’

Taking self: utéci ‘run away’, chybět ‘be lacking’

Radial Categories Within the Radial CategoryDative: an experiencer

Benefit: prospět ‘benefit’, slušet ‘suit’

Possession: umýt si ruce ‘wash one’s hands’, zlomit si nohu ‘break one’s leg’

Age, environment, emotions, need: Kolik je vám let ‘how old are you’, je mi zima ‘I feel cold’, je nám líto ‘We feel sorry’, je ti to třeba ‘do you need that’

Harm: ublížit ‘harm’, vadit ‘bother’

Radial Categories Within the Radial CategoryDative: a competitor

Matched Forces: podobat se ‘be similar’, rovnat se ‘be equal’

Submission: podrobit se ‘submit to’, pokořit se ‘surrender’

Domination: vládnout ‘govern’, vévodit ‘rule over’

North Saami postposition čađa ‘through’

North Saami postposition čađa ‘through’

Motion: viehkalii vuovdde čađa ‘he ran through the forest’

Time: Luohti lea rievdan ollu áiggiid čađa ‘The joik has changed a lot through time ’

Metaphorical motion: Son lea jođihan ohppiid álgooahppokurssa čađa ‘He had led the students through the introductory course’

Fictive motion: E6-bálggis manná suohkana guovddáš osiid čađa ‘The E-6 highway goes through central parts of the municipality ’

Extent: bálggis vuovdde čađa ‘a path through the woods’

Means: Girjji sáhtát diŋgot Davvi Girji o.s. čađa ‘You can order the book through Davvi Girji o.s. ’

Metonymic time: guhkes musihkka bihtáid čađa ‘through the long musical pieces’