More information
Agglutination and fusion
| ხელ-ი | ხელ-ებ-ი |
| xel-i | xel-eb-i |
| hand-Nominative | hand-Plural-Nominative |
| hand-Nominative | hands-Nominative |
| ხელ-ი | სა-ხელ-ო |
| xel-i | sa-xel-o |
| hand (//arm and hand)-Nominative | for-arm-stem producing suffix |
| hand | sleeve |
More information about agglutination
Fusion as a morphological type is characterized by the fact
that one and the same marker expresses several functions at the
same time.
Fusion in inflection
| წერ-ს | წერ-ენ |
| c'er-s | c'er-en |
| write-3 pers+Singular | write-3 pers+Plural |
| He/she writes, is writing | They write, they are writing. |
| ვ-წერ | ვ-წერ-თ |
| v-c'er | v-c'er-t |
| 1 pers-write | 1 pers-write-Plural |
| I write, I am writing | We write, we are writing. |
The term fusion involves ablaut as well. This is the phenomenon by which the different grammatical meanings of forms are expressed by different vocalization of a stem, by vowel alternation.
One example of ablaut is found in verbs with different stems (themes) in different sets of tense/aspect-forms. In one group of verbs this difference is based on agglutination (a special suffix for the forms of the first set), in another group on the principle of fusion: the inner vowel of the stem is -ე-e in one and -ი -i in another set of tense/aspect-forms:
| ვ-დრეკ | ვ-დრიკ-ე |
| v-drek' | v-drik'e |
| 1 pers-bend | 1 pers-bend-Aor |
| I am bending something | I have been bending smth. I bent smth. |
Fusion in derivation
a) one and the same root with different vocalization may form
both verbs and nouns:
| ლეწ-ს |
ლაწ-ან-ი |
| lec'-s | lac'-an-i |
| trash-Subj+3pers+Sing | crash-Nominalising.suffix-Nominative |
| He/she trashes | crash |
| ლაწ-ან-ი |
ლაწ-უნ-ი |
| lac'-an-i | lac'-un-i |
| crash-once-Nominative | crash-several times-Nominative |
The main type of inflection and
derivation in Georgian is considered to be agglutination
The co-existence of agglutination and fusion principles in Georgian morphology has been the basis of different hypotheses about Georgian as belonging to the Caucasian language family, but marked with the influence of Indo-European languages (Ivane Javakhishvili, Arnold Chikobava). Typological parallels betwen Kartvelian and Indo-European languages are also found (Tamaz Gamq'relidze, Givi Mach'avariani). These parallels are often explained as being a result of language contacts. The co-existence of agglutination and fusion which is common in other languages too may also be explained by the inner nature of Georgian (Besarion Jorbenadze).
Agglutination is the major type of inflection and derivation in
Georgian morphology. This is in particularly true for nominal
categories. The relation between the meaning and the composition
of Georgian words is simple and easily understandable.
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Georgian uses prefixes and suffixes and also circumfixes in derivation and inflection. Some examples of new words formed by using suffixes:
Diminutive form with suffix -იკო [-ik'o]
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Adjective (from noun) which shows the origin -ელ [-el]
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person)-Nom. |
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Adjective which denotes the possession of something (from noun) -ian [-ian]
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Abstract noun formed from the adjective by means of si- ---- -e [si- -----e]
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Adjective which denotes the lack of something u- --- -o [u- --- -o]
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About combinations of affixes
A. One and the same prefix combined with the different suffixes, e.g.:
Prefix სა- sa- forms:
1. The names _ Adjectives and Nouns (from
Nouns) which denote the purpose, function,
appointment:
a) without suffix (independently):
სა-ქარ-ი
sa-kar-i
something made for wind
ქარ-ი kari wind
-o: სა-ქვეყნ-ო [sa-kveq'n-o]
public (something for country)
ქვეყანა kveq'ana country
-ur: სა-ფეხ-ურ-ი
[sa-pex-ur-i]
step, footstep (something for foot)
ფეხ-ი pex-i foot
2. The Future object participle (passive) ( from the Verb stems):
a) without suffix (independently):
-el: სა-კეთებ-ელ-ი [sa-k'eteb-el-i]
something that shall be done, something for "to
do".
keTeb-a k'eteba (to) do
-ar: სა-ხვეწ-არ-ი [sa-xvec'-ar-i]
something to beg for
ხვეწ-ნ-ა xvec'/n-a (to) beg
-ul: სა-წყა-ულ-ი [sa-c'q'a-ul-i]
something to measure with.
წყ-ვ-ა c'q'-v-a (to) measure
-o: სა-რჩ-ო [sa-rch-o]
means of subsistence
რჩ-ენ-ა rch-en-a (to) save; (to) support...
-al: სა-მკ-ალ-ი [sa-mk'-al-i]
something for reaping, harvest
მკ-ა mk'-a (to) reap
B. One and the same suffix combined with the different prefixes, e. g.:
2. The stem of the participle (from the verb stems):
a) without suffix (independently):
b) subject (active) participle together with prefixes:
c) Object negative participle (passive) together with prefix
u-: ა-უ-შენებ-ელ-ი [a-u-sheneb-el-i]
something that is not built
Some interesting cases of archaic derivation:
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This type of derivation is not especially productive nowadays
but it was quite common in theological-philosophical works of
the eleventh and twelfth centuries (both in translated and in
original texts). The words attested above were created during
that period and still belong to the active lexical part of the
language. Nouns derived from the finite form of a verb are
attested in older place names too:
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b) to use the verb stem in order to produce a noun:
| უ-მზერ-ს | უ-მზირ-ა > | მზირ-ი |
| u-mzer-s | u-mzir-a > | mzir-i |
| is watching, is looking | watched, looked | one who is spying upon |
c) to form a verb stem from a noun:
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Besides agglutination, examples of fusion are also found:
1. In the system of declension, case and number are expressed by one marker in Old Georgian, as well as in Modern Georgian, where these forms have survived as stylistically marked forms. For example, in the form წიგნთა c'ign-ta the suffix -Ta -ta is a marker both for number (plural) and for all cases except the nominative and the vocative.
2. In the system of conjugation:
a) Fusional suffixes are common in the third person subject
marking in Georgian:
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b) Ablaut (vowel alternation): the first and the second series of tense/mood forms of verbs in Georgian have the different stems (themes). In one group of verbs this difference is based on agglutination, in another group on the principle of fusion: the inner vowel of the stem (theme) in the first series is -e, in the second series -i:
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d) stems of the noun and verb can be derived from one and the same root with the different vocalisation: root vowel -a in nouns and -e in verbs:
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© Manana Kock Kobaidze & Karina Vamling