More on the category
Version
More on Causatives
In this section we will look at two central constructions whereby the number of members of the sentence increases: version and causatives. In Georgian these constructions are marked by affixes in the verb form -- in contrast to English that uses paraphrastic contructions.
Version
Version is a category of the Georgian verb which shows
whether the result of an action,
fullfilled by the subject, belongs to the subject
itself
(subject version) or to the indirect
object (object version) or is expressed as neutral
(neutral
version).
There is a vowel prefix found just
before
the root of a Georgian verb. In our course
it has been called vowel prefix or relation marker.
Version
is expressed by this marker.
Formation of the version forms of direct (active) verbs
The subject version is expressed by means the vowel prefix i- i-.
The object version is formed by means the vowel
prefix
u-
u- (by means of the vowel
prefix i- i- when it is
preceded
by the first and the second object person markers).
The neutral version is expressed either by prefix a-
a- or by lack of any vowel prefix in
the verb form.
Forms of three versions when the neutral version is
expressed
by a vowel prefix:
| v-a-Seneb | v-a-sheneb | I am building | Neutral version |
| v-i-Seneb | v-i-sheneb | I am building something for myself | Subject version |
| v-u-uSeneb | v-u-sheneb | I am building something for someone | Object version |
Forms of three versions when the neutral version is
expressed
without a vowel prefix:
| v-ø-wer | v-ø-c'er | I am writing | Neutral version |
| v-a-wer | v-a-c'er | I am writing on smth. | Neutral version (with the nuance of superessive situation: the prefix a- shows that the action is being fulfilled on the surface of an object)) |
| v-i-wer | v-i-c'er | I am writing something for
myself |
Subject version |
| v-u-wer | v-u-c'er | I am writing something for
someone |
Object version |
Georgian transitive verbs have a special morphological form which can show whether the subject acts immediately towards the direct object or by means of another person. A name of this category is causative or contact.
This expressed by a syntactic construction in
English;
e. g.:
A man is building a house.
A man makes his friend build a house.
This category has its morphological marker in the verb form in Georgian: the vowel prefix a- a- and the suffix -in -in (or -evin -evin). The thematic suffix -eb -eb is characteristic for the mediated contact forms of a verb.
Depending the context, causative forms can express different meanings: neutral (to make), to help, to force, to give an opportunity; e. g.:
1. Neutral (to make):
mkeravs kaba Se-v-a-ker-in-e
mk'eravs k'aba she-v-a-k'er-in-e
I made the tailor/ dressmaker sew a dress for me.
2. To help:
Cems das Cemodani wa-v-a-Reb-in-e
chems das chemodani c'a-v-a-gheb-in-e
I made my sister bring the suitcase; I helped my sister
to carry the suitcase.
3. To force:
qurds uTo ukan mo-v-a-tan-in-e
kurds uto uk'an mo-v-a-t'an-in-e
I made the thief bring the iron back.
4. To give an oprtunity:
megobars Cems saxlSi Rame ga-v-a-Teneb-in-e
megobars chems saxlshi ghame ga-v-a-teneb-in-e
I let my friend stay at my place to sleep.
© Manana Kobaidze & Karina Vamling 2001