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Instrumental case in ergative constructions

From:BP Jonsson <bpj@...>
Date:Monday, April 24, 2000, 18:09
The ergative constructions in New Indo-Aryan go back to constructions using
a passive past participle instead of a finite verb and the agent in the
instrumental case.

Are there any other languages where the instrumental case is used as the
agental case in ergative constructions?



/BP

 B.Philip Jonsson
mailto:bpj@netg.se
mailto:melroch@my-deja.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~__
            Anant' avanaute quettalmar!               \
\
   __  ____ ____    _____________  ___ __   __ __     / /
   \ \/___ \\__
\  /___  _____/\ \\__ \\ \  \ \\ \   / /
   / /   / /  /  \    / /Melroch\
\_/ // /  / // /  / /
  / /___/ /_ / /\ \  / /Melarocco\_  // /__/ // /__/
/
 /_________//_/  \_\/ /Eowine__   / / \___/\_\\___/\_\
I neer
Pityancalimeo\ \_____/ /ar/ /_atar Mercasso
naan
~~~~~~~~~Cuinondil~~~\_______/~~~\__/~~~Noolendur~~~~~~
|| Lenda lenda
pellalenda pellatellenda cuivie aiya! ||
"A coincidence, as we say in
Middle-Earth" (JRR Tolkien)