Modal verbs and modal constructions in Ladakhi
In: Journal of South Asian languages and linguistics, Band 1, Heft 1, S. 31-57
ISSN: 2196-078X
Abstract
The paper describes different types of modal expressions, particularly expressions of ability, in Ladakhi, a Tibetic language spoken in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, India. A special focus lies on the unexpected syntactic behaviour of complex modal verb constructions, where the semantics of both the modal verb and the event verb contribute to the realisation of surface case marking, so that the event verb can no longer be analysed as being a complement of the modal verb. This intertwined syntax appears to be the result of a compositional process. The observable variation in syntactic behaviour across dialects and idiolects further allows for reconstruction of the compositional process.