Morphological Specificity and Word Classification in Koryak : Focusing on Two Types of Adverbial Clauses

Abstract

This study examines the morphological distinctions between nominalized and non-nominalized stems that form adverbial clauses in Koryak. It challenges the traditional classification of both types as “nominal forms of verb” and argues for categorizing the former as noun case forms and the latter as nominal verbs of non-finite verbs. The paper emphasizes two crucial principles in word classification: distinguishing between stem and word levels, and prioritizing morphological criteria. The application of these two principles extends beyond the nominalized and non-nominalized types. Several linguistic elements, including property predication n-.. -qin(e)/-qen(a), genitive -kin(e)/-ken(a), possessive/factual predication ɣe-/ɣa-..-lin(e)/ -len(a), and agent/patient noun -lʕ, exhibit a common characteristic. They can attach to both noun and verb stems at the stem level while maintaining a nominal nature at the word level. Whether this indicates a blurred boundary between nouns and verbs in Koryak requires further investigation. Nevertheless, the paper suggests exploring a word classification method based on these previously understudied morphological features