A Role and Reference Grammar Analysis of Georgian Morphosyntax By John Samsel THESIS ‘Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in Linguistics inthe GRADUATE DIVISION of the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS Approved:CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 ‘CHAPTER 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction The Verb System 2.1 The Verb Series 2.2 The Verb Classes Case Marking 3.1 Ergative Marking in Series II 3.2 Pattern C Case Marking 3.3. Conclusion Valence-increasing Morphology: Causatives and Version Objects 4.1 Causative Constructions 4.2 Version Constructions Passivization Reflesivization Pinal Remarks References oii lL 28 33 38 42 44 45 56 81 88 7 100Chapter 1 Introduction 1.0 As a typologically unusual language, Georgian is beginning to attract attention from a variety of linguists who seek to explain both its curious verb system and its unusval case marking patterns. To date the most comprehensive account of Georgian syntax is Alice Harris's study (1981). In it she provides a wealth of data as well as a lucid analysis of all the major syntactic structures in the grammar, includ- ing passives, causatives, reflexives and version objects. This paper owes its very existence to Harris's study as it is mainly her data which this paper uses to illustrate its explanations of the morpho- syntax of the language. Data compiled by both Aronson (1982) and Holisky (1978; 1979; 1981; 1961b; 1981c) also greaty contribute to this study, as well as does some additional new data. Although Harris conducts her study within the framework of Relat- ional Grammar [RG]--a theory which is exclusively syntactic in nature-~ she does state that initial grammatical relations are predictable on the basis of verb semantics and makes a brief attempt herself at translat- ing semantic roles into gramatical relations (Harris 1961: 251-252). overall, hovever, Harris never wades very far out into the rich and complex verb senantics of the grammar. As @ result, as one would ex- pect froma study conducted within the framework of RG, although Harris acknowledges the significance of verb semantics in an analysis of Georgian, ultimately her argumentation and presentation of conclusions 4T wish to thank Shota Vashakidze and Nana Kaxadze who spent time contributing to this study by supplying additional data of their native Georgian.