Ergative-absolutive language作通格语言

Ergative-absolutive language is a contrast to the language pattern I discussed yesterday. Using ergative case marking and verbal agreement, it marks S and O in the same way (the absolutive case), and A differently (the ergative case). Examples of this pattern are Basque and Mayan.

We would probably assume that the case-marking and verbal agreement in ergative languages will both be ergative. However we have seen in a number of languages a combination of the two systems. Warlpiri, for instance, employs the ergative case-marking and accusative verbal agreement, as shown in the below two sentences. Interestingly, there is no language found in accusative pattern to have ergative verbal agreement, from which we can notice the dominance of accusative pattern.

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Understanding syntax-Maggie Tallerman(2014), 207

I think what I have introduced so far are a little bit complicated. From tomorrow on I will start giving more details about some fundamental concepts, including case, person, number and many others.