Adjectival equative comparative constructions in the Khanty language

Equative constructions illustrate one type of equivalence relation (equality), establishing the identity of comparatives based on a gradable feature. The Kazym dialect of the Khanty language exhibits two distinct structural types of equative constructions: parametric and adjectival. Parametric constructions feature comparatives in the subject position, with the predicate, a parametric noun, identifying the parameter base, and an adjective expressing “sameness” as the relational marker. In adjectival constructions, comparative structures exhibit distinct syntactic positioning. The adjective in the position of the predicate denotes the parameter aspect, with a relation expressed by a postposition that formalizes the position of the second comparative (marker of the standard of comparison). The use of postpositions to form adjectival constructions with equivocal meanings extends to the expression of similative relations. In other types of constructions, postpositions convey the meaning of a subjective modality. Despite exhibiting structural equivalence, equivocal and differential constructions are semantically differentiated by their postpositional elements. Similative constructions contrast with equative and differential constructions in lacking a comparison parameter position. Alternatively, these are combined with comparative expressions of equivalence, whereby postpositions such as ‘ity’ (‘how’) function in both equative and similative comparisons. Functional-semantic comparison reveals three distinct semantic cores, each exhibiting relationships with other cores within the field and with external semantic fields (e.g., modality, approximativity) based on several parameters.

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