The Origins of Udi Syntax

《Udi语法起源》Udi是一种濒危语言，属于东北高加索语系。它之所以被选为研究对象，是因为(A)该语系语言的结构在许多方面不同于更熟悉的语言，因此有助于我们理解语言的共性，(B)Udi具有复杂的词法，这为句法关系提供了现成的证据，以及(C)Udi经历了显著的句法和形态变化。该项目的中心是开发一种标记注意力焦点的结构和开发可移动协议(发生在多种类型中的任何一种上，包括动词、名词、代词和副词)。该项目涉及对句法和与该句法最相关的词法的研究，包括一致性和格标记法。该项目的目标包括描述和解释(A)协议和复合动词构成在今天的Udi中的作用，(B)可移动协议在Udi中的起源，(C)Udi和东北高加索语言中复合动词的一般起源，(D)Udi和其他东北高加索语言中焦点结构的发展，(E)格标模式变化的起源。该项目的意义不仅限于解释乌迪语和东北高加索语系其他语言所特有的现象；相反，这些变化将与句法变化的共性有关。预计该项目将提供：(A)解释单词内部一致的起源；(B)加深对格系统如何发生变化的理解；(C)测试最近文献中关于简化复杂结构的句法变化以及格标记和协议模式变化的主张；(D)测试在句法中使用最初设计用于重建音系学的历史方法的主张。

The Origins of Udi Syntax Udi is an endangered language which belongs to the North East Caucasian language family. It has been selected as an object of study because (a) the structures of the languages of this family are different in many ways from those of more familiar languages and therefore can contribute significantly to our understanding of language universals, (b) Udi has a complex morphology, which supplies ready evidence of syntactic relations, and (c) Udi has undergone significant syntactic and morphological change. The project centers on the development of a construction for marking the focus of attention and on the development of moveable agreement (which occurs on a host of any one of many types, including verbs, nouns, pronouns, and adverbs). The project involves study of both syntax and the morphology that is most relevant to that syntax, including agreement and case marking. The objectives of the project include the description and explanation of (a) agreement and complex verb formation as they function in Udi today, (b) the origins of moveable agreement in Udi, (c) origins of complex verbs in Udi and North East Caucasian languages generally, (d) development of the focus construction in Udi and other North East Caucasian languages, (e) origins of changes in case marking patterns. The significance of the project is not limited to the explanation of phenomena particular to Udi and other languages of the North East Caucasian family; rather, these changes will be related to the universals of syntactic change. It is expected that the project will provide (a) an explanation of how word-internal agreement originates, (b) an increased understanding of how case system undergo change, (c) testing of claims made in the recent literature on syntactic change regarding the simplification complex constructions and regarding changes in case marking and agreement patterns, (d) testing of claims regarding the use in syntax of historical methods originally design ed for use in reconstructing phonology.