Comparative constructions of equality in Ossetic

Abstract

The study deals with equative (‘Mary is as tall as Peter’) and similative (‘Mary sings like Peter’) constructions in the Iron dialect of Ossetic. I focus on the morphosyntactic and semantic features of constructions with Standard markers -aw and χʷəžзn. The morphosyntactic criteria I am using are the part of speech of the Standard of comparison (Peter) as well as the syntactic position of the Comparee (Mary). As for the semantics, I am looking at the type of the construction — equative, similative, or predicative (She is like her sister) — and at the referential status of the Standard of comparison (specific or generic). With both markers, the Comparee can occupy a rather low syntactic position. The Standard of comparison can also be a non-finite verb form, apart from a noun phrase. The main difference between the two Standard markers is their semantics. The equative case -aw tends to be used in similative constructions and expresses a comparison of manner. The predominance of generic Standards in constructions with -aw can be explained by the scope of comparison. Referring to a predicate, the -aw form modifies an action or attribute, comparing it with another action or attribute. Comparison of the two situations as a whole allows -aw to be combined with specific Standards, which turned out to be less acceptable otherwise. The postposition χʷəžзn can occur both in equative and similative constructions; in addition, it can mark a Standard used as an attribute of the Comparee.