Predikaat ajastut kogemas
Predicate ­ the Experiencer of the Era

Summary/Abstract: Newspaper language is analysed in an attempt to find out whether any trends can be observed in the use of some Estonian verb constructions and verb-centered syntactic structures over the last decade and whether the possible usage trends might reveal any impact of extralinguistic factors (language contacts, changes in society and language situation, etc.). The structures under discussion are the following. Verb constructions: progressive and future; Syntactic structures: constructions with the nominative possessor and experiencer; Constructions expressing resultative change, where one can differentiate between two patterns: goal-marking and source-marking. In most cases the analysed material did reveal some dynamics. Most of the observed shifts can be referred to an example of contact languages, which are, however, supported by language-internal factors (on the one hand, a tendency towards simplicity and unmarked patterns and, on the other, towards clarity and accuracy of expression) as well as by society-related needs for expression and focusing.

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