Areal features of Hittite conditionals

Consequences for the reconstruction of Indo-European

Bibliographic Data

ID20344546
AuthorsMarina Zorman (University of Ljubljana, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume34
Issue2
Pages253-277
Publication date2017-07-20
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDiachronica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0176-4225 • E-ISSN: 1569-9714
PublisherJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/dia.34.2.04zor
OpenAlexW2735148613
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited21

Hittite conditionals exhibit some morphosyntactic peculiarities which are not yet fully understood, such as the conditional conjunction takku derived from a demonstrative plus “and”, some unexpected alternations from past to present and the irrealis particle (-) man used in hypothetical, potential and contrary-to-fact conditionals. Cross-linguistically these features are not frequent, and inheritance from Proto-Indo-European cannot be claimed. A close look into the syntax and semantics of (Peripheral) Akkadian and Sumerian reveals that they may be innovations due to language contact between Hittite and Semitic languages. This fact deserves appropriate consideration in the reconstruction of Proto-Anatolian and Proto-Indo-European

Akkadian · Arabic · Demonstrative · Genitive case · Hittite language · Language contact · Linguistics · Noun · Plural · Semitic languages · Sumerian · Syntax · Ancient Near East History · Computer Science · History · Linguistics and Cultural Studies · Linguistics and language evolution · Philosophy

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