Article

Name: Structural types of similative comparative constructions with the particles ten, tort and check in the Altai language

Authors: Alena R. Tazranova

Institute of Philology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russian Federation

In the section Linguistics

Abstract:

This article examines the semantics and function of the comparative particles ten (exactly like, just like), tort (exactly like), and check (just like). The polyfunctional, synonymous particles ten, tort, and chek are the primary means of expressing similarity in the domain of object comparison, with chek also expressing event-based relations. All the particles are used in parallel constructions. Combined with the designation of the second comparator (the comparison standard), these particles indicate a high similarity between the objects being compared, which results from their prototypical semantics as intensifying particles. In the Altai language, three models are used to construct analytical comparative constructions with similative semantics, with variations in how positions are filled and whether they are explicitly or implicitly expressed. In Altai language writings, the comparison element is often absent, and the audience uses their understanding to fill in the blanks. Sometimes, the base of the parameter is stated explicitly in the subject, with the first comparator functioning as the definition in the attributive construction. The particles under investigation function as a means of expression, high-lighting comparative relationships to convey emotion and enhance the impact of an utterance. The data for this study comprises 142 examples of comparative constructions with varying particles, all extracted from fiction using continuous sampling. The modeling method was employed to process the data, enabling the reconstruction of elements absent from the actual utterances.

Keywords: comparison, comparative constructions, comparative particles, similarity, Altai language, structural type

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