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Causative purpose adjuncts in Estonian and Finnish: A non-linear approach

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 August 2019

Geda Paulsen*
Affiliation:
Institute of the Estonian Language, Roosikrantsi 6, Tallinn 10119, Estonia
Urpo Nikanne*
Affiliation:
Åbo Akademi University, Finnish Language, Fabriksgatan 2, Åbo 20500, Finland
*
Emails for correspondence: [email protected] and [email protected]
Emails for correspondence: [email protected] and [email protected]
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Abstract

In this article, we examine the form and meaning of a subtype of causative adjuncts, purpose adjuncts, in Estonian and Finnish. The analysis is based on the micro-modular approach of Conceptual Semantics (Nikanne 1990, 2005, 2018; Pörn 2004; Paulsen 2011a, 2011b; Petrova 2011). It provides a non-linear approach to linguistic causation, alternative to the linear models. By the term ‘non-linear’ we mean the involvement of separate levels of conceptual structure that influence the causative reading, and a separation of causation from the temporal flow of the situation. We propose two causative operators for subordinate causative structures, BECAUSE OF and LEAD TO. According to their temporal structures, we separate two types of purpose adjuncts: reason-purpose adjuncts and avoidance adjuncts. The causative effect of purpose is in our analysis related to the notion of intentionality.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Nordic Association of Linguistics 2019 

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