On the structure and interpretation of Polish passives
On the structure and interpretation of Polish passives

Summary/Abstract: The realization of Polish passives is influenced by the specific properties that a given participle shares with its verbal base. These include: argument structure and aspectual type, the conjugation class and the phonological properties of the stem. This paper offers an account of how these variables are reflected in the exponence and morphophonology of Polish passives. The paper presents an analysis of the distribution of Passive Participle Markers -ł- /ɫ/, -t- /t/, -n- /n/ and -on- /ɔn/ in Polish within a syntactic approach to word formation (Jablonska 2004; Caha 2009, Embick & Marantz 2008). I also address the issue of the morphophonological mutations attested in Polish passive participles and postulate that they should not be given a uniform analysis. The alternation between /ɛ/ and /a/ attested in Polish ej- and e-verbs is suppletive in nature, while mutations attested in the thematic marker -ną-~-nię- /nɔ̃/~/ɲɛ/̃ and the Passive Participle Marker -on-~-eni- /ɔn/~/ɛɲ/ are triggered by the integration of floating features into the structure of the said exponents.

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