A grammar of Khwarshi

Khalilova, Z. (2009)

Doctoral Thesis

This dissertation presents a grammar of Khwarshi, a Nakh-Daghestanian language. The grammar is based on material collected by the author during fieldwork. The dissertation gives an overview of the main aspects of the phonology, morphology, and syntax of the language. At the phonological level, a description of the system of vowels and consonants is given as well as of the secondary articulations: nasalization, palatalization, and pharyngealization. Khwarshi has several interesting morphological features including an elaborate system of up to 43 spatial cases, five noun genders which mark agreement between the Absolutive noun phrase and the verb, adjective, adverb, or postposition with the help of the gender affixes. Khwarshi is an ergative language with basic SOV word order and widespread use of non-finite verb forms. In the chapter on syntax, the main types of subordinate clauses such as relative, complement, and adverbial clauses are treated.

• Nakh-Daghestanian
• Ergative
• Tsezic
• Pharyngealization
• Converbs
• Long-distance agreement
• Postpositions
• Local cases
• SOV constituent order

• All authors: Khalilova, Z.
• Supervisor: Kortlandt, F.; Comrie, B.
• Committee: Kulikov, L.; Lubotsky, A.; Mous, M.; Schaeken, J.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University
• Date: 2009-12-17
• Title of host publication: LOT dissertation series
• Publisher: Utrecht: LOT, Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics
• Name: 234
• Court: LEI Universiteit Leiden
• Sponsorship: This work was generously funded by the Max Planck Society.