Epic studies

Abstract

The goal of this article is to consider special properties which characterize the usage of partitive case in simple (non-possessive) declension in the language of the Yakut folk heroic epos olonkho. The relevance of this research is supported by the less studied status of partitive case as one of the most infrequent ones compared to other cases in the Yakut language as well as by the lack of theoretical research devoted to the usage of partitive case in the epic texts of olonkho. The following methods were used: descriptive, comparative, structural-semantic as well as the method of continuous sampling. Leipzig glossing rules were used in the article. The collected material contains examples from the following olonkho: “Nurgun the Strong” (“Nyurgun Bege”), “Ker Buuraj bogatyr” (“Kör Buuraj bukhatyyr”), “Tough Warrior woman” (“Kyydaannaakh Kyys Bukhatyyr”), “Ala-Bulkun”, “Kyys Debiliye”, “Olonkhos of Moma” (“Muoma olonkholoro”), “Myuljyu the Strong with unstumbling joints” (“Byudyuryujbet syukһyekhteekh Myulgyu Bege”), “Hero Eles with a bear-black horse” (“Eһe Khara attaakh Eles Bootur”), “Nyurgun Bootur the Swift” (“Julurujar Nyurgun Bootur”), “Lord Jagaryma” (“Tojon Jagaryma”), “Kyun Erili”, “Obstinate Kulun Kullustuur” (“Kuruubaj khaannaakh Kulun Kullustuur”), “Kyun Tegierime”, “Great Daaryn bogatyr” (“Uluu Daaryn bukhatyyr”), “Warrior woman Jyrybyna Jyrylyatta” (“Jyrybyna Jyrylyatta kyys bukhatyyr)”. Partitive case is considered to be one of the lesser used cases, due to the presence of a number of restrictions on its occurrence. If these conditions are met, then the usage of partitive case becomes possible, but not obligatory, since accusative or ablative cases might be used just as well. With the help of the data gathered using the method of continuous sampling from fifteen specimens of olonkho, it is demonstrated that nouns in the simple (non-possessive) form of the partitive case can act as a direct object with a variety of verbal forms. It has been shown that partitive case occurs in both paradigms of the imperative mood in all person-number combinations except third person. It is also employed with various voice and aspectual forms of the verbs, with the imperative particle kulu and with the emphatic-diminutive imperative. The results of the study reveal the hidden potential and the possibilities for more extensive usage of partitive case.