Other cases of Iranian–Armenian pattern replication

Abstract

Abstract Going beyond the contact hypothesis of the Classical Armenian periphrastic perfect, this chapter enquires into other syntactic patterns that have plausible parallels in West Middle Iranian. Three patterns in particular are investigated-nominal relative clauses, a multifunctional anaphora, and a quotative pattern-and clear Iranian parallels discussed. In the case of nominal relative clauses, the differences between Armenian and Iranian are too pronounced to argue for a contact origin, especially since similar patterns are available also in other Indo-European languages. The functional distribution of the anaphora ink‘n, which also serves as an intensifier and switch-function marker, has clear parallels in Iranian, however, as do specific quotative uses of (e)t‘e. For these patterns, an Iranian model is proposed at least as a contributing factor in their development.