Reduction as a mechanism of variation of comparative analytical-synthetic polypredicative constructions with the postposition shylap // schylap // schynap ‘as if’ in the Chalkan language

The Chalkan language employs analytical-synthetic polypredicative constructions with the postposition shylap // shylap // shynap ‘as if’ to express comparative relations, indicating an equivalent relationship between two events. These constructions comprise a main clause (the subject of comparison), a subordinate clause (a standard of comparison). А dependent subject expressed by the name in the nominative, and a dependent predicate expressed by a participle with the affix =atan combined with a postposition. When both clauses express the events from the same denotative sphere and indicate similar actions, the dependent predicate is most often omitted, as it nominates the same action already expressed by the predicate of the main part, with the postposition directly after the dependent subject. When the events are from different denotative spheres, the structure and semantics of the utterance are asymmetric: comparative relations link the main clause and the missing component, symbolizing an accepted or associative standard for events of this class. The subordinate clause expresses conditional or temporal relationships with an explicitly non-expressed component. The postposition of the subordinate clause semantically correlates with the implicit standard of comparison. A two-clause structure semantically involves three components: comparison subject, comparison standard, and the consequence implied by the unexpressed component. Comparative analytical-synthetic polypredicative constructions feature the reduction of either the subordinate clause predicate or the component indicating the reference standard. Also, reduction may affect the parameter restored by the context or guessed by traditional associative relations. The main clause, the dependent subject, and the postposition are never reduced.