Formal properties of serial verbs

Abstract

Components of a serial verb can be contiguous or non-contiguous. A serial verb may consist of one grammatical word, or form several grammatical words. Correlations between contiguity and wordhood of serial verbs allow us to establish four types of constructions, each with its own analytical problems. The surface marking of person of the subject on the verb and within the verbal phrase containing a serial verb construction can be concordant—then the subject is marked on every component of a serial verb. Concordant marking can be obligatory or optional. Alternatively, the subject can be marked just once per construction. Objects are always marked just once. Verbal clausal categories—tense, aspect, modality, evidentiality, mood, and reality status—can be marked concordantly, on each component. Or they can receive truncated or optional marking. In some languages with strict transitivity, all components of serial verbs have to have the same transitivity value.