Circumstantial modifier in Munchu-Tungu languages: structural and semantic aspect. I. Circumstantial modifier of place

Abstract

The traditional semantic classification in the Manchu-Tungus languages involves the following circumstantial modifiers: with a temporal meaning (the circumstantial modifiers of time), with a locative meaning (the circumstantial modifiers of a place), of manner, of comparison, with the semantics of conditioning (conditions, reasons or goals), and of negative performance (concession and unfulfilled intentions). The circumstantial modifiers of locative and temporal semantics expressed by the noun case forms demonstrate certain “convergences-divergences” and “overlapping” with indirect objects concerning their formal characteristics. However, the semantic features and some positional restrictions in the sentence structure still allow these to be differentiated. The object most often demonstrates a locally restricted action, with the circumstantial modifiers mainly indicating a location or movement in space, the boundaries of which are very conditional and cannot be clearly marked at all.