Polypredicative causal constructions in the Altai language (in literary and academic texts)

The structural and semantic types of causal polypredicative constructions of the Altai language and their functioning in artistic and scientific texts are considered. The study material includes artistic works of famous Altai writers and scientific monographs of researchers of folklore and literature in the Altai language. Compared to other conditionality relations, causal relations in the Altai language are expressed by the widest variety of means, including monofinite and bifinite polypredicative constructions. In total, 23 models of causal polypredicative constructions have been identified, with 11 models found in scientific texts. With all the multiplicity of causal indicators, the basic coding tools are constructions with general causal semantics. In literary texts, in oral speech, such construction is a participial construction with a causal-purpose postposition učun ‘because of, for’, in scientific texts - a construction with the causal union neniŋ učun deze ‘because of.’ Depending on the actualization of the semantics of cause or effect, two semantic blocks are distinguished: causal and investigative. Causal constructions are divided into proper causal and non-causal constructions. The actual causal constructions represent real relations that objectively exist regardless of the subject of the action. They include constructions with general causal semantics that can be neutral or complicated by positive or negative evaluative semantics. Non-causal constructions include alternative motivation, emotional and physical response to a stimulus, with the meaning of sanctions and with an inferential meaning. Special attention is paid to constructions conveying mainly temporary, conditional, target, explanatory relations, and only sometimes causal relations.

Causative · Construction Grammar · Linguistics · Discourse Analysis and Cultural Communication · Linguistics and Cultural Studies · Linguistics and language evolution · Philosophy · Psychology