An Algorithm Describing the Verb Valence Changes in the Kartvelian Linguistic Space

Abstract

The four vowel-prefixes of the verb, which are distinguished in the South Caucasian (resp. Kartvelian) languages, represent various verb forms, such as: transitive, causative, reflexive, reciprocal, deponent, passive, potential, subjective and objective version. Such polyfunctionality of the prefixes leads us to suppose that they should have more general, common function. Based on a semantic and functional analysis of these prefixes the certain generalization is proposed; and the whole process of prefixes choices is presented as an algorithm with four implicational rules. The algorithm reflects a hierarchically organized optimal generating/dynamic process of linguistic structuring of the verb valence changes continuum both in the Proto-Kartvelian and in the contemporary Kartvelian languages. Such a dynamic approach clarifies why these vowels are poly-functional in the whole Karvelian linguistic space: Georgian, Svan, Megrelian and Laz (id. modern Kartvelian languages) and their dialects; and describes the main direction of diachronic changes in the functions of valence markers, which turn into (co)markers for various derivational verb categories.