Formal and functional approaches to subordination in Kazakh

Abstract

This paper investigates clausal subordination in Kazakh and its functional and formal properties. Kazakh subordinate clauses manifest typical Turkic nominalization, where the dependent predicate and the first argument (if overtly expressed) differ from those of main clauses. Such differences can be seen in three grammatical aspects: syntax, semantics and prosody. Regarding the semantic-syntactic features, subordinate clauses are morphologically reduced and display various degrees of syntactic downgrading; they can display first argument co-reference and semantic integration with their superordinate clauses. Prosodically, subordinate clauses have either a separate intonation pattern or one that follows the intonation of main clauses. The aim of the paper is to describe the syntactic, semantic and prosodic features of subordinate clauses in Kazakh and to compare these peculiarities in a hierarchical order.