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8. Subordinating Converbs

Converbs are conventionally divided into coordinating and subordinating. Coordinating converbs are dealt with below.

Janhunen (2012) defines the converb as "a non-finite verbal form that modifies a following verbal in the capacity of an adverbial". Subordinating converbs are thus ad-subordinating in nature. Tserenpil-Kullmann call them sVDS (subordinating Verb Determining Suffixes).

The set of subordinating converbs is not uniformly defined and varies according to the dialect. The following is based on Tserenpil-Kullmann and Janhunen.

One difficulty with these converbs is that they do not exhibit uniform behaviour, complicating grammatical description. Here I will attempt to consider their behaviour from the point of view of SR (same subject/different subject) and differential subject marking.

From the point of view of SR, subordinating converbs or sVDS that occur in normative Khalkha can be divided into three groups:

a) Those which indicate 'different subject' if unmarked but indicate 'same subject' with the addition of the reflexive suffix. This conforms with SR as found in other types of subordinate clause. Differential subject marking applies. The group includes the following suffixes:

'Same subject' or 'different subject'
ConverbREFLCharacterisation
-xlaar4-aa4Logically Succeeding
-tal4 -aa4Limiting
-nguut2 -aa2Succeeding
-magts4 -aa4Immediately Succeeding

᠊ᠬᠤᠯᠠᠷ᠂
᠊ᠬᠦᠯᠡᠷ


-хлаар, -хлээр, -хлоор, -хлөөр


᠊᠊ᠲᠠᠯ᠎ᠠ᠂
᠊ᠲᠡᠯ᠎ᠡ


-тал, -тэл, -тол, -тэл


᠊ᠨᠭᠤᠲᠠ᠂
᠊ᠩᠭᠦᠲᠡ


-нгуут, -нгүүт


᠊ᠮᠠᠭᠴᠠ᠂
᠊ᠮᠡᠭᠴᠡ


-магц, -мэгц, -могц, -мөгц


b) Those which may be used for either 'different subject' or 'same subject' but do not mark this distinction with the reflexive. This differs from SR as found in other types of subordinate clause.

Poppe treated these as "pseudo-converbs" because in the literary language the subject of the clause took only the Nominative case (no differential subject marking). However, both now feature differential subject marking (Nominative-Accusative).

'Same subject' or 'different subject'
ConverbREFLCharacterisation
-val4/-bal4-Conditional
-vč-Concessive

᠊ᠪᠠᠯ᠂
᠊ᠪᠡᠯ


-бал, -бэл, -бол, -бөл, -вал, -вэл, -вол, -вөл


᠊᠊ᠪᠠᠴᠤ᠂
᠊ᠪᠡᠡᠴᠦ


-вч


c) Those which stipulate 'same subject' only. There is no differential subject marking. These include:

'Same subject' only
ConverbREFLCharacterisationNotes
-ngaa4(included)Seizing an OpportunityThere is no corresponding non-reflexive form.
-saar4-ProgressiveThis form is transitional between coordinating and subordinating.
-maažin4-Excluding Uncommon in Khalkh.

᠊ᠩᠭ᠎ᠠ ᠪᠠᠨ᠂
᠊ᠩᠭᠡ ᠪᠡ


-нгаа, -нгээ, -нгоо, -нгөө


᠊᠊ᠭᠰᠠᠭᠠᠷ᠂
᠊ᠭᠰᠡᠭᠡᠷ


-саар, -сээр, -соор, -сөөр


᠊᠊ᠮᠠᠨᠵᠢᠨ᠂
᠊ᠮᠡᠨᠵᠢᠨ


-маажин, -мээжин, -моожин, -мөөжин


This group contains two exceptional forms: one that lacks a non-reflexive equivalent (-ngaa4), and one that appears to be transitional with coordinating converbs (-saar4).

Examples of group a

The following example using -nguut2, illustrates 'different subject' marked by: differential subject marking, lack of reflexive suffix, and possessive particle. (Note that the reflexive suffix also attaches to the subject of the subordinate clause, indicating a relationship with the subject of the main clause, a phenomenon which will not be covered here.)

(69)
aav-yg-aa iren-güüt n' ene bičg-ijg ög-öörei.
father-ACC.REFL come.MOM 3POSS this letter.ACC give.IMP

The moment father comes give him this letter.

ᠠᠪᠤ ᠵᠢ ᠵᠢᠠᠨ ᠢᠷᠡᠩᠭᠦᠲᠡ
ᠨᠢ ᠡᠨᠡ ᠪᠢᠴᠢᠭ᠌ ᠢ ᠥᠭᠭᠦᠭᠡᠷᠡᠢ᠃


Аавыгаа ирэнгүүт нь энэ бичгийг өгөөрэй.


The same converb with 'same subject':

(70)
tüün-ees gadna šin aav ger-t iren-güüt-ee šuud ger-ijn ezen šig zagna-ž bol-ox-güj ge-ne.
it.ABL apart new father house.DAT come.MOM.REFL immediately house.GEN master like scold.SIMUL become.FUT-NEG say.PRS

They say that the new father should not immediately scold like the head of the household the moment he comes into the house.

ᠲᠡᠭᠦᠨ ᠡᠴᠡ ᠭᠠᠳᠠᠨ᠎ᠠ ᠰᠢᠨ᠎ᠡ ᠠᠪᠤ
ᠭᠡᠷ ᠲᠤ ᠢᠷᠡᠩᠭᠦᠲᠡ ᠪᠡᠨ ᠰᠢᠭᠤᠳ
ᠭᠡᠷ ᠦᠨ ᠡᠵᠡᠨ ᠰᠢᠭ ᠵᠠᠩᠨᠠᠵᠤ
ᠪᠣᠯᠤᠬᠤ ᠦᠭᠡᠢ ᠭᠡᠨ᠎ᠡ᠃


Түүнээс гадна шинэ аав гэрт ирэнгүүтээ шууд гэрийн эзэн шиг загнаж болохгүй гэнэ.


-megc4 with 'same subject':

(71)
bid Paris-t ir-megc-ee šuud l terrasse deer üd-ijn zoog bar'-san.
1pl Paris.DAT come-MOM.REFL immediately just terrasse on midday.GEN meal grab.PST

The moment we came to Paris (we) grabbed lunch at a terrasse.

ᠪᠢᠳᠡ ᠫᠠᠷᠢᠰ ᠲᠤ ᠢᠷᠡᠮᠡᠭᠴᠡ ᠪᠡᠨ
ᠰᠢᠭᠤᠳ ᠯᠠ ᠲ᠌ᠧᠷᠷᠠᠰᠰᠧ
ᠳᠡᠭᠡᠷ᠎ᠡ ᠦᠳᠡ ᠵᠢᠨ ᠵᠣᠭᠤᠭ
ᠪᠠᠷᠢᠭᠰᠠᠨ᠃


Бид Парист ирмэгцээ шууд л террассе дээр үдийн зоог барьсан.


-xlaar4 with 'different subject':

(72)
(UCh)
namai-g khödöö java-x-l-aar min-ij mašin-ijg xeregl-eerei.
1sg.ACC countryside go.FUT.WHEN 1sg.GEN car.ACC use.IMP

When I go to the countryside, (you) use my car.

ᠨᠠᠮᠠᠶᠢ ᠬᠥᠳᠦᠭᠡ ᠶᠠᠪᠤᠬᠤᠯᠠᠷ ᠮᠢᠨᠦ
ᠮᠠᠱᠢᠨ ᠢ ᠬᠡᠷᠡᠭᠯᠡᠭᠡᠷᠡᠢ᠃


Намайг хөдөө явахлаар миний машиныг хэрэглээрэй.


-xlaar4 with 'same subject':

(73)
(UCh)
bi xödöö java-x-l-aaraa tan-y mašin-yg av-na.
1sg countryside go.FUT.WHENREFL 2sg.GEN car.ACC take.PRS

When I go to the countryside, (I)'ll take your car.

ᠪᠢ ᠬᠥᠳᠦᠭᠡ ᠶᠠᠪᠤᠬᠤᠯᠠᠷ ᠪᠠᠨ
ᠲᠠᠨ ᠤ ᠮᠠᠱᠢᠨ ᠢ ᠠᠪᠤᠨ᠎ᠠ᠃


Би хөдөө явахлаараа таны машиныг авна.


Examples of group b

-bal4, -val4 with 'different subject':

(74)
aav-yg ir-vel bid xamt xool id-ne.
father.ACC come.COND 1pl together meal eat.PRS

When father comes we'll eat dinner.

ᠠᠪᠤ ᠵᠢ ᠢᠷᠡᠪᠡᠯ
ᠪᠢᠳᠡ ᠬᠠᠮᠲᠤ ᠬᠣᠭᠣᠯᠠ ᠢᠳᠡᠨ᠎ᠡ᠃


Аавыг ирвэл бид хамт хоол иднэ.


-bal4, -val4 with 'same subject'. There is no explicit marking of 'same subject' but it is suggested by the lack of a subject in the subordinate clause:

(75)
bi tanaj-d möngö xadga.luul-bal xičneen xüü ava-x ve?
1sg 2pl.DAT money save.CAUS.COND how-much interest get.FUT Q?

If (I) put money with you, what interest will I get?

ᠪᠢ ᠲᠠᠨᠠᠢ ᠳᠦ ᠮᠥᠩᠭᠦ ᠬᠠᠳᠠᠭᠠᠯᠠᠭᠤᠯᠪᠠᠯ
ᠬᠡᠴᠢᠨᠡᠨ ᠬᠦᠦ ᠠᠪᠬᠤ ᠪᠤᠢ᠃


Би танайд мөнгө хадгалуулбал хичнээн хүү авах вэ?


Examples of group c

The subject of the main clause is bid 'we'. There is no non-reflexive form of üzen-gee.

(76)
Friends üzen-gee angli xel sur-cgaa-j!
Friends watch.WHILE English language study.COLL.SUGG

Let's study English while watching 'Friends'!

Friends ᠦᠵᠡᠨᠭᠡ ᠪᠠᠨ ᠠᠩᠭᠯᠢ
ᠬᠡᠯᠡ ᠰᠤᠷᠴᠠᠭᠠᠶ᠎ᠠ!


Friends үзэнгээ англи хэл сурцгаая!



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