Votian/Participles

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Participles

• Past tense participles are used for imperfect tense negation and compound tenses .
• Any participle may act as a verbal modifier like an adjective.
• Participles take part in various modal expressions with auxiliary verbs.

Morphemes

	Definite voice	Indefinite voice
Past tense	-nut	-ttu
Present tense	-va	-ttava
Agent participle	-ja

Past tense

Definite voice -nut

Pronunciation

The vowel u alternates with ü according to vowel harmony rules.

• uppot nut > en uponnu (" I did not drown. ")
• üppät nut > en üpännü (" I did not jump. ")

Morphophonology

• The morpheme -nut takes a consonant stem if possible e.g. en pannu ('I did not put (it there).') vs. pane̮ ('Put!').
  • Therefore it is always in the same grade as all the suffixal imperative forms except the singular of the second person e.g. elkō jättägō ('Let him not leave (it)!'), et jättännü ('You did not leave (it)!') vs. page̮t-kā ('Escape!'), emmä page̮n-nūD ('We did not escape.').

Dialectal alternatives

• Votic of Ingria
  • -nut has lost it's final t e.g. emmä ̮tehnü ('We did not do (it).').
  • It's first n may be assimilated by the preceding dental consonant l, л, r, s e.g. et pǟssü or et pǟznü ('You did not get through.').
  • It's first n assimilates the preceding dental consonant t e.g. et arvannu ('You did not guess.') vs. arvatkā ('Guess!').
    • It's first n is geminated after a vowel probably caused by metanalysis of the previously mentioned sound change e.g. että sȫnnü ('You did not eat.'), että лaske̮nnu ('You did not let (it).'). It must be a late feature, because it breaks the consonant gradation rules e.g. et jättän-nü ('You did not leave (it)!').
  • (See also the declension paragraph about the former assimilations in Alutaguse dialects.)
  • Eastern Votic dialect
    • In Eastern Votic dialect they have added a metanalytic morpheme -k to the past participle's singular nominative -nut e.g. emmäG ̮vēnnǖD ('We did not take (it away).') vs. et vēnnüG ('You did not take (it away).'). The suffix -k is probably borrowed from the present tense negation here, where it was a present tense marker . See the chapter of imperfect tense negation.
• Alutaguse dialects
  • -nut has lost it's vowel like in Ingrian, Mid Estonian , Ingrian Finnish and South-eastern Finnish dialects e.g. et vienD ('You did not take (it) away.'), en karttanD ('I was not afraid.').
    • After n, l, r, s only t has remained of -nut e.g. en e̮lD ('I were not.'), et kūlD ('You did not hear.'), en me̮elD ('I did not think.'), ei üölD ('She did not say.'), ei surD ('He did not die.'). (See also the declension paragraph about the former assimilations.)
    • You may hear irregular alternatives e.g. ei üttelD ~ ei ütlenD ('She did not say.' - Jõhvi dialect), ei surruD ('He did not die.' - an archaism of Jõhvi dialect), et kūlunt ~ et kūlluD ('You did not hear.' of Lüganuse dialect), ei tahtunD ~ tahtanD ~ tahunD ~ tahanD ~ tahnD ~ taht ('She did not want.' The source was not clear enough to tell, which cases were used in Alutaguse and which cases belong to Coastal Estonian dialects), ei tieDänD ~ tiaDanD ~ tianD ('He did not know.' The source was not clear enough to tell, which cases were used in Alutaguse and which cases belong to Coastal Estonian dialects).
    • The verbs do, go and see have preserved h in their stem like in Vaiga dialects, Old Estonian scriptures (Wanradt, Müller, Stahl etc.), Vironian Mid Estonian and other Finnic dialects e.g. ei lähenD ~ lähänD ~ lähnD ('It did not go.' The source was not clear enough to tell, which cases were used in Alutaguse and which cases belong to Coastal Estonian dialects), ei nähenD ~ nähänD ~ nähnD ~ näht ('She did not see.' The source was not clear enough to tell, which cases were used in Alutaguse and which cases belong to Coastal Estonian dialects), ei tehenD ~ tehnD ~ teht ('He did not do.' The source was not clear enough to tell, which cases were used in Alutaguse and which cases belong to Coastal Estonian dialects). However these are seldom found in Alutaguse runic songs .
  • ks and sk-stems may drop their k in front of -nut e.g. et juoksenD ~ et juost ('You did not run.'), en laskenD ~ en last ('I did not shoot.').
  • In Alutaguse runic songs the morpheme -nut is written nud and probably was pronounced nuD.
    • It's first n is geminated, if the preceding syllable carries a secondary stress e.g. Miks õled põskista põdenud, kõrva ääred kõlletannud [miks e̮leD pe̮skista pe̮DenuD ke̮rva ǟred ke̮llettannuD ] ('Why are your cheeks so pale? Why have (the edges of your) ears became yellowish?' of Lüganuse dialect).
    • In some Lüganuse (Irvala) and Iisaku (Sootaga) runic songs -nut has lost it's final t like in the Votic of Ingria, Vyborg Finnish, South-eastern Häme dialects and Finnish Dialects of the Islands in Gulf of Finland e.g. ei lüönü ('He did not beat.') .

Declension

• In Ingria it is declined like the XV Declension's -t stems i.e. the final t has disappeared from vowel stems and the ancient stem-vowel e has been assimilated by ü or u of the preceding syllable, thus causing their prolongation e.g. plural nominative tehnǖ-D vs. singular partitive tehnüt-tä ('(the one who has) done').

1. In Jõgõperä dialect they may decline it according to a parallel declension influenced by Finnish and Ingrian dialects e.g. kōллu: kōллū: kōллūлē̮ vs. kōллu: kōллē̮: kōллē̮лē̮ ('(the one who has) died' - singular nominative, singular genitive, singular adessive).

See the lessons of partitive , present tense indefinite voice and ta infinitive about the loss of t after an unstressed vowel.

• In Alutaguse dialects -nut e- > *-nuðe- is declined similarly to the Ingrian-like declension of Jõgõperä.

1. I.e. the final t has disappeared from vowel stems and the ancient stem-vowel e has assimilated ü or u. But long vowels can occur only in the first syllable in Alutaguse, thus there is no vowel prolongation e.g. /sāB/ surne se̮numi ('/She gets/ a death omen'), jǟttänelt /päilt/ ('(when something was) frozen'), e̮ppet̆taja rǟkkis lahkunettest ('The teacher spoke about the left ones.').
   1. It's first n may be assimilated by the preceding dental consonant l, s e.g. e̮lleD ('been'), te̮isseD ('the risen ones' - in Lüganuse dialect tuisseD ), but not always by r e.g. surneD ('the dead ones').
      1. It's first n assimilates the preceding dental consonant t e.g. akka(n)ne /rohi/ ('a medicine against sertain disease') vs. akatta (infinitive). It may be degeminated by influence of Mid Estonian dialect.
   2. It's first n is geminated after a syllable, which carries a primary or secondary stress e.g. kuluneD ja mätänenneD ('outspent and rotten (things)').
      1. It's first n may be geminated after an unstressed vowel also, but is weaker there e.g. jahtun̆neD /vorstiD/ ('simmered /sausages/').
2. The singular partitive -nut ta will sound -nD (or -ne in Lüganuse dialect) e.g. /neli/ surrunD or /neli/ surne ('/Four/ dead (men).').
   1. The plural partitive -nut i ta will sound -ni e.g. /te̮i/ kuivani /e̮ksi/ ('/He brought/ dried /twigs/.').
3. Usage of singular and plural has become very irregular lately under the influence of Mid Estonian dialect .

Phonological history

• See the imperfect tense negation about the usage of plural -nutet.
• Singular -nut has lost it's vowel or the final t in various Finnic dialects.

Other Finnic dialects

Singular

• Standard Finnish : en luke-nut ('I did not read!')
• Vesjegonski Karelian dialects : en luge-nnun ('I did not read!')
• Vepsian dialects : en luge-nd ('I did not read!')
• Ingrian dialects : en lukkē-nD ('I did not read!')
• Standard Estonian : ei luge-nud ('I did not read!')
• South Estonian Räpina dialects : luGe̮noʔ ('read')
• Eastern Livonian dialects : lu ̉ggə̑-n ('read')

Plural

• Standard Finnish : emme luke-neet ('We did not read!')
• Vesjegonski Karelian dialects : emmä luge-nnut ('We did not read!')
• Vepsian dialects : emai luge-tud ('We did not read!')
• Ingrian dialects : emmä luGe-nēD ('We did not read!')
• Standard Estonian : ei luge-nud ('We did not read!')
• Eastern Livonian dialects : lu ̉ggə̑-nD ('read' plural participle)

Indefinite voice -ttu

Pronunciation

The vowel u alternates with ü according to vowel harmony rules.

• uppot ttu > upottu (" drowned ")
• üppät ttu > üpättü (" jumped ")

Morphophonology

Indefinite voice suffixes take a consonant stem if available.

Verbal stem is therefore always in the weak grade.

• лuget̮tu ('read') X лuke̮kā ('Read!' - plural imperative)
• vs. magattu ('slept') X makā ('Sleep!' - singular imperative) .

t component of indefinite voice suffixes stays geminated only after unstressed vowels e.g. tako ttu > tagottu ('beaten').

•   ̄ ttu > tu: e.g. sā-tu ('got') < sā-ttu.
• t ttu > ttu: e.g. tšiuzat-tu ('molested') < tšiusat-ttu.
• h ttu > htu: e.g. teh-tü ('made') < teh-ttu.
• s ttu > stu: e.g. pes-tü ('washed') < pes-ttu.
• л ttu > лtu: e.g. tuл-tu ('come') < tuл-ttu
• l ttu > ltu: e.g. pidel-tü ('held') < pitel-ttu
• r ttu > rtu: e.g. sur-tu ('dead') < sur-ttu.
• n ttu (after primary stress) > ntu: e.g. pan-tu ('put') < pan-ttu.
  • n ttu (elsewhere) > ttu: e.g. apat-tu ('acidified') < appan-ttu.

In front of any indefinite voice marker (except present tense indefinite voice) the stem-vowel a alternates with e̮ and ä alternates with e e.g. ve̮tta ttu > ve̮te̮ttu ('taken'), tšēltä ttu > tšēlettü ('forbidden').

Usage

1. Indefinite voice imperfect tense negation - e.g. ep ̮ jōtu   (" Nobody drank. ")
2. Adjective participial , modifier - e.g. jōtu jōma   (" A drink, which has been drunk. ")

Dialectal alternatives

• Votic of Ingria
  • Eastern Votic dialect
    • A -ttuk suffix is composed of an indefinite voice past tense participle suffix -ttu and a metanalytic negation marker -k borrowed from the present tense negation , where it is a present tense marker .
      • sā-ttu > sā-tuG ('got'), ve̮tta ttu > vē̮ttuG ('taken'), tappa ttu > tape̮ttuG ('killed'), tukka ttu > tukattuG ('buried')
    • The -t component of the suffix has usually been assimilated with preceding s like in indefinite voice.
      • s ttu > ssu: e.g. pes-süG ('washed'), ne̮issuG ('risen, started'), väris-süG ('trembled').

Phonological history

• -ttu shares the -tt component with other indefinite voice morphemes.
• In various Finnic dialects (including Eastern Votic) this morpheme ends with a plosive , what may be metanalytic (influenced by -nut participle etc): e.g. South Estonian dialects : sâDuʔ ('got'), Finnish dialects  : tuatup ̮ pois ('brought away')

Other Finnic dialects

• Standard Finnish : ei lue-ttu ('Nobody read.')
• Vesjegonski Karelian dialects : ei lugie-ttu ('Nobody read.')
• Central Vepsian dialects : ī luge-tud ('They did not read.')
• Hevaha Ingrian dialects : ei lue-ttu ('Nobody read.')
• Standard Estonian : ei loe-tud ('Nobody read.')
• Räpina South Estonian dialects : loe-tto ~ loe-t ̀ ('read')
• Eastern Livonian dialects : sō̮də̑-t̀ ('got')

Present tense

Definite voice -va

Pronunciation

The vowel a alternates with ä according to vowel harmony rules.

• uppota va > uppoava (" drowning ")
• üppätä va > üppǟvä (" jumping ")

See the lessons of partitive , present tense indefinite voice and ta infinitive about the loss of t after an unstressed vowel.

Morphophonology

The morpheme -va takes a vowel stem e.g. en pannu ('I did not put (it there).') vs. pane̮va ('putting').

• Therefore it is always in the strong grade e.g. jätä-G ('Leave (it)!') vs. jättä-vä ('leaving') or page̮t-kā ('Escape!') vs. pake̮ne̮-va ('escaping').

Phonological history

-va suffix is the weak grade of the original *-pa. See the lessons of partitive , present tense indefinite voice and ta infinitive about analogical consonant gradation in stems.

• The morpheme of the third person of plural is derived from the same -va suffix with a plural nominative marker t.
• The same suffix has underwent following sound changes *-pa > *-pi > -p and became to mark the third person of singular.

Usage

• -va morpheme is seldom used as an adjective participial or modifier - e.g. pe̮лe̮va   (" burning ")
  • In this role it has been substituted by an active agent participle : лauлoje̮ poike̮ ("a singing boy") . Similar constructions are used in Finnish , Karelian and Estonian dialects also.
• a topic - uncertainty, probability ( partitivus cum participio ) like a ma infinitive - e.g. en tǟ tätä e̮лe̮vā   (" I'm not aware, that he might be (there) . "), näin mēssä tule̮vā tētä mȫ   (" I saw a man coming along the road. " ~ Estonian dialects : nägin üht meest teed mööda tulevat )

Other Finnic dialects

• Standard Finnish : luke-va ('reading')
• Vesjegonski Karelian dialects : elä-vä ('living') In Karelian it has been substituted usually by an active agent participle .
• Vepsian dialects : eĺa-b ('living') In Vepsian it has been substituted usually by an active agent participle .
• Ingrian dialects : lukkō-va ('reading')
• Standard Estonian : luge-v ('reading')
• South Estonian Räpina dialects : luGe̮-vat ̀ ('I've heard, that he reads')
• Eastern Livonian dialects : jelà-b ('living')

Indefinite voice -ttava

The indefinite voice describes an action without giving any information about it's agent. Hence an indefinite participle like sȫtävä could be translated approximately as: "something, that somebody eats" or simply "edible". The person, who would eat it, is indefinite.

Pronunciation

The vowel a alternates with ä according to vowel harmony rules.

• uppot ttava > upottava (" drownable ")
• üppät ttava > üpättävä (" jumpable ")

Morphophonology

Indefinite voice suffixes take a consonant stem if available.

Verbal stem is therefore always in the weak grade.

• лuget̮tava ('readable') X лuke̮kā ('Read!' - plural imperative)
• vs. magattava ('sleepable') X makā ('Sleep!' - singular imperative) .

t component of indefinite voice suffixes stays geminated only after unstressed vowels e.g. tako ttava > tagottava ('beaten').

•   ̄ ttava > tava: e.g. sā-tava ('gettable') < sā-ttava.
• t ttava > ttava: e.g. tšiuzat-tava ('molestable') < tšiusat-ttava.
• h ttava > htava: e.g. teh-tävä ('makable') < teh-ttava.
• s ttava > stava: e.g. pes-tävä ('washable') < pes-ttava.
• л ttava > лtava: e.g. tuл-tava ('comable') < tuл-ttava
• l ttava > ltava: e.g. pidel-tävä ('holdable') < pitel-ttava
• r ttava > rtava: e.g. sur-tava ('dieable') < sur-ttava.
• n ttava (after primary stress) > ntava: e.g. pan-tava ('puttable') < pan-ttava.
  • n ttava (elsewhere) > ttava: e.g. apat-tava ('acidifyable') < appan-ttava.

In front of any indefinite voice marker (except present tense indefinite voice) the stem-vowel a alternates with e̮ and ä alternates with e e.g. ve̮tta ttava > ve̮te̮ttava ('takeable'), tšēltä ttava > tšēlettävä ('forbiddable').

Usage

• Adjective participial , modifier - e.g. jōtava jōma   (" A drink, which would (or might) be drunk. "), suvattava   (" amiable, lovable, mistress ")
• obligation - e.g. pantava on pajate̮ttava i naite̮ttava on nagre̮ttava   (" People should talk about the one, whom others must find a groom for and people should laugh at the one, whom others must find a bride for. " ~ a proverb)

Phonological history

• The -ttava suffix is composed of an indefinite voice marker -tta and the definite voice -va ending.

Other Finnic dialects

• Standard Finnish : lue-ttava ('readable')
• Vesjegonski Karelian dialects : lugie-ttava ('readable')
• Central Vepsian dialects : tu-tab ('acquainted')
• Hevaha Ingrian dialects : lue-ttava ('readable')
• Standard Estonian : loe-tav ('readable')
• Räpina South Estonian dialects : loe-ttavat ̀ ('I've heard, that somebody reads')
• Eastern Livonian dialects : pⁱes̄-tə̑B ('washable')

Agent participle

Active agent participle -ja

Pronunciation

The vowel a alternates with ä according to vowel harmony rules.

• uppota ja > uppoaja (" drowner ")
• üppätä ja > üppǟjä (" jumper ")

See the lessons of partitive , present tense indefinite voice and ta infinitive about the loss of t after an unstressed vowel.

Morphophonology

The morpheme -ja takes a vowel stem e.g. en pannu ('I did not put (it there).') vs. panija ('the one who puts something').

• Therefore it is always in the strong grade e.g. vei̮ta-G ('Win!') vs. ve̮itta-ja ('winner') or page̮t-kā ('Escape!') vs. pake̮ni-ja ('refugee').

Short e / e̮ were substituted by i in front of j.

• E.g. e -i- > i: nätševäD ('They see.') > nätšijä   (" someone who sees ").
• E.g. e̮ -i- > i: e̮лe̮vaD ('being' present tense participle) > e̮lija ('the one who is.').

Usage

-ja morpheme marks

• an agent - e.g. nätšijä-mēZ   (" a witness "), tšüsüjä   (" the one who asks (a favor) ")
• -ja morpheme is often used as an adjective participial or modifier (especially in Jõgõperä dialect).
  • In this role it has substituted the -va participle - e.g. лauлoje̮ poike̮ ("a singing boy"), autoje̮ kana ("a hatching hen") . Similar constructions are used in Finnish , Karelian and Estonian dialects also.

Dialectal alternatives

• Votic of Ingria
  • Western
    • Vaipooli
      • Jõgõperä dialect
        • The vowel of the this suffix may be -e, -e̮ .
          • -je, -je̮   e.g. лauлo-je̮ ('singer'), tšüsüje ('the one who asks'), sāje̮ ('the one who gets something')

Phonological history

• The -ja suffix has counterparts in most of the Uralic languages and even in Baltic languages e.g. Lithuanian vartóto-ja ('user') .

Other Finnic dialects

• Standard Finnish : autta-ja ("the one who helps")
• Vesjegonski Karelian dialects : autta-ja ("the one who helps")
• Vepsian dialects : püuda-i ("the one who fishes")
• Ingrian dialects : künttǟ-jä ("the one who ploughes")
• Standard Estonian : and-ja ("the one who gives")
• Eastern Livonian dialects : ānda-ji ("the one who gives")

See also

• Grammar of Votian dialects (syllabus)
• Imperfect tense negation
• Indefinite voice imperfect tense negation
• Copula and compound tenses
• Auxiliary verbs
• Indefinite voice

Educational level: this is a non-formal education resource.

Type classification: this is a lesson resource.

Completion status: Deliberately incomplete for educational purposes.

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