Functional structure of Ossetic adjectives and the problem of reduced predicative constructions

The paper examines Ossetic adjectives from a typological perspective. Adjective categories are language-specific and may not be universal. This paper aims to highlight the specific features of the Ossetic adjectives compared to other languages. It focuses on the functional structures they authorize in diverse contexts. The analysis demonstrates that these elements cannot be modified by a set of modifiers that are commonly licensed by adjectives across languages. Notably, Ossetic adjectives used attributively are subject to constraints, prohibiting their combination with applicative experience-denoting noun phrases and negative markers, and often demonstrate a reduced structure in various contexts. All constructions involving adjectives can be subdivided into two categories: those that allow modifiers (degree adverbials, comparative markers, and arguments of adjectives) and those that do not. The first type, as exemplified by depictive constructions and deadjectival adverbs, exhibits a retention of the functional structure of their source elements. The latter type features complex predicates and some denominal adjectives, specifically those that denote material. The absence of licensing for dependent components necessitates the simplification of these applications to structures that only utilize the root level. Furthermore, the analysis highlights several noteworthy characteristics of attributive adjectives, namely their flexibility in terms of word order within noun phrases and their capacity to be separated from the head under specific circumstances. The findings indicate that Ossetic adjectives, despite their noun-like properties, are derived from predicative structures that have been simplified, and specific uses, such as in complex predicates, involve even fewer functional elements.

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