Concessive constructions in the Khakass language

Abstract

The syntax of a complex sentence is of great interest to researchers of various languages. Although the extensive research has been undertaken in this area, there are still many questions to be clarified. Our attention is focused on the syntax of the Khakass language. Previous studies have been devoted to complex sentences without conjunctions, conditional and causal constructions in the Khakass language, in comparison with the Russian language. Nevertheless, taking into account the fact that only a small section of the scientific grammar of the Khakass language covers the topic under discussion, such studies are highly relevant. This study examines complex sentences in the Khakass language and, in particular, polypredicative concessive constructions that have not yet received proper coverage. There is only a small paragraph in the block of circumstantial subordinate clauses devoted to such constructions in the Khakass language grammar. Our aim was to identify and describe the means of expressing concessionary relations. The study has revealed a unique specialization of all concessive constructions in the Khakass language primarily associated with the amplifying particle taa / tee, daa / dee preceding or following the conditional form (=sa / =se, =za / =ze) in the simple verb predicate, preceding the conditional form in the nominal and complex verb predicate in the in the dependent predicative unit. Depending on the form of the predicate of the main predicative unit and on the presence of interrogative pronouns, these constructions express real-concessive and conditionally-concessive, conditionally-contrastive, generically-concessive meanings.