Grammaticalization Quickie Thread

[bradrn]

That description is a little vague. Could you perhaps give some examples of how this ablaut system occurs in practice?

[Ahzoh]

That description is a little vague. Could you perhaps give some examples of how this ablaut system occurs in practice?

CaCaC- > -CCaC- (class 1/3 transitive)
CaCaC- > -CCuC- (class 2 transitive)

CaCuC- > -CCaC- (class 1/3 dynamic intransitive)
CaCuC- > -CCuC- (class 2 dynamic intransitive)

CaCiC- > -CCaC- (class 1/2 stative intransitive)
CaCiC- > -CCiC- (class 3 stative intransitive)

My current speculation is a realis versus irrealis system that involves 4 morphemes:

Set 1:
general irrealis suffix that causes a-colouring

Set 2:
dynamic irrealis suffix that causes u-colouring
stative irrealis suffix that is neutral

set 3:
dynamic irrealis suffix that causes a-colouring
stative irrealis suffix that is neutral (shared with set 2)

So at least Class 1 could be explained as arriving just from having an ordinary irrealis modal suffix that colours all vowels to become /a/

Classes 2 and 3 could be explained by having irrealis modal suffixes that are different depending on if the verb is a dynamic one or a stative one, but then the question becomes "why"