The grammaticalization of temporal subordinating conjunctions in Surgut Ostyak
The grammaticalization of temporal subordinating conjunctions in Surgut Ostyak

Summary/Abstract: This paper investigates two subordinating conjunctions of the Surgut dialect, one of the Eastern dialects of Ostyak. One of these, kunte 'when, if' acquired the function of a conditional conjunction in addition to its ancient function of a temporal question word; a special feature of its grammaticalization is that whereas it occurs clause initially as a question word, in its conditional function it occurs clause finally. The other item investigated, k˘˙uč, may have four different functions in this dialect: it can serve as (a) a temporal conjunction expressing contact anteriority, 'as soon as'; (b) a conjunction of concession, 'although'; (c) a paired concessive-disjunctive conjunction, 'whether. . . or'; and (d) the anterior constituent of various compounds in 'any-' (e.g., 'anyone'). Its origin is debated: it is either a Russian loanword or else an Ob-Ugrian innovation. This paper argues that, in view of the results of research on grammaticalization in general, the former claim can be discarded with a high degree of probability. Finally, the paper investigates the debated issue of whether these items can be regarded as conjunctions proper and concludes that nothing warrants their exclusion from that category.

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