Arguments selected by DOM

Most transitive verb classes have exactly one argument that is open to DOM. ere are no classes with more than one O argument, but bivalent motion verbs, equational ditransitives, and transitive experiencer predicates have no O at all. e role mapping for the relevant classes is as follows:

• P for monotransitive verbs,

• T for transfer ditransitives (all subclasses), and • G for instrumental ditransitives.

e relevant argument can also be determined looking at the cases of its co-arguments. O then covers:

• all P where A case alternates between NOM and ERG,

• all T except instrumental T-ERG, with a high threshold for T-DAT G-DAT, and • G with T-ERG.

Below is one example for DOM in each class. Monotransitive:

(32) a. Us-le

DIST-ERGsʌrkarigovernmentaljagirjob roj-y-o.choose-PST-3s

‘He chose a job in the government.’ (NNC:book-fiction-atripta-aakash-2061.3970) b. Me-ro

1s-GENbibek-lereason-ERGprʌtisod-lairevenge-DATroj-y-o.choose-PST-3s

‘My reason chose revenge.’ (NNC:book-criticism-samakalin-nepali-natak-2057.4270) Transfer ditransitive (here IIb):

(33) a. Byapar-hʌru

trader-PL bãsbambooaph-n-aREFL-GEN-OBLchetrʌ-maregion-LOClʌija-nch-ʌn.take-NPST-3p ‘e traders take the bamboo to their own region.’

(NNC:himalkhabarpatrika-2059-01-01.430) b. Paʈhʌk-lai

reader-DATes-lePROX-ERGsoj-ʌidirect-FOCpʌscimwesternNepal-koNepal-GENyʌuʈaone.CLFaruaru bʌsti-maselement-LOC lʌija-nch-ʌ.

take-NPST-3s

‘(e book) takes the reader straight away to a aru selement in western Nepal.’ (NNC:himalkhabarpatrika-2059-11-16.228)

Instrumental ditransitive: (34) a. Murti-hʌru

statue-PL mathi-baʈʌabove-ABL1

pʌrda-le

veil-ERGɖhak-ch-ʌ.cover-NPST-3s

‘He covers the statues with a veil from above.’ (NNC:himalkhabarpatrika-2059-06- 16.1913)

b. Mʌila-ko

woman-GENbiyogpʌrũɖasecluded.sufferingjiwʌn-lailife-DAT kʌpʌɖaclothes rʌandgʌhna-lejewellery-ERGdherʌimuch ɖhak-dʌin-ʌ.

cover-NEG.NPST-3s

‘He doesn’t cover women’s life of secluded suffering with a lot of clothes and jew- ellery.’

(NNC:kantipur-misc-2061-11-24.77) Transfer ditransitives of subclass III have an alternation between NOM and DAT on G, too. How- ever, this alternation is different from DOM in that it also includes LOC and is conditioned by dif- ferent functional factors. Roughly, DAT is used with animate G into whose possession T changes, whereas LOC/NOM are used with inanimate G. For the distinction between LOC and NOM, it is useful to assume two prototypes of movement (possibly among others). One, which may be called routing, takes place along a specific course with a definite end point. e other, which may be called searching, does not have a definite end point, and accordingly the direction and course of movement cannot be construed immediately. Routed G tend to take NOM, whereas searched G tend to take LOC. Below is one typical example for each G case.

(35) Bʌidesik

foreign rojgari-leemployment-ERGsʌmaj-laisociety-DATphaidaadvantagepuryaũ-dʌin-ʌ.bring-NEG.NPST-3s

‘Foreign employment doesn’t bring any advantage to society.’ (NNC:book-belleleer- nepalma-garibiko-bahas-2061.4012)

(36) Mʌi-le

1s-ERGKʌncʌnjʌŋgha-laiKancanjangha-DATbimanstʌlairport purya-ekobring-PRFV.PTCPthi-ẽ.be.there-PST.1s

‘I had brought Kancanjangha to the airport.’ (NNC:madhuparka-memoir-2060-12.4) (37) Ghumʌnte

roaming kʌrmʌ-lefate-ERG us-laiDIST-DATespʌʈʌkthis.timeNepal-GEN-OBLnepal-k-a duitwosundʌrbeautifulsʌhʌr-macity-LOC purya-y-o.bring-PST-3s ‘is time his fate of roaming brought him to two beautiful cities of Nepal.’

(NNC:himalkhabarpatrika-2060-08-16.1084) ese examples should make it clear enough that the G of transfer ditransitives of type III are not open to DOM but display a separate alternation, which is a peculiarity of this class. e additional examples below show that this alternation is independent of DOM, which is found on T in this class. ere is one example for each combination of T and G cases for the verb pʌʈhau- ‘send’. T-NOM G-NOM: (38) Yʌs PROX.OBL bheg-le area-ERG bemʌusʌm-k-a bad.weather-GEN-OBL bela time pʌni also samanne generallypãcfive

ʈrʌk-ko truck-GEN harahari-ma average-LOC golbheɖa tomato dʌinik daily rajdhani

capital pʌʈhaũ-ch-ʌ.send-NPST-3s

‘Even during bad weather, this area normally sends an average of five trucks of tomatoes to the capital.’ (NNC:book-academic-swasthya-samaj-ra-rajniti-2062.4200) T-NOM G-LOC:

(39) Purus-le man-ERG

dut-hʌru

messenger-PLgaũ-mavillage-LOC

paʈha-y-o. send-PST-3s

3.4. FORMAL PROPERTIES OF DOM T-NOM G-DAT: (40) Mʌhendrʌ Mahendra pulis police klʌb-le club-ERG ʌdalʌt-lai court-DAT jʌwaph answer pʌʈha-y-o. send-PST-3s

‘e Mahendra Police Club sent an answer to the court.’ (NNC:himalkhabarpatrika-2060- 08-16.575)

T-DAT G-NOM: (41) Timi

2s pʌnialso tʌCTOPmanche-laiperson-DATpʌrʌmdhamheaven pʌʈhaũ-ch-ʌusend-NPST-2s ni.ASS

‘You also send people to heaven.’ (NNC:book-drama-prempinda-2058.5017) T-DAT G-LOC:

(42) Jʌs-lai

who.REL-DAThami1p ramrogood swastekʌrmi-kohealth.worker-GENrup-maform-LOCgaũ-mavillage-LOCpʌʈhaũ-dʌisend-PROG thi-y-ʌũ…

be.there-PST-1p

‘Whoever we were sending to the village as a good health worker…’

(NNC:book-academic-swasthya-samaj-ra-rajniti-2062.2663) T-DAT G-DAT: (43) Ram-le Ram-ERG aph-no REFL-GEN nokʌr-lai servant-DAT Sita-lai Sita-DAT pʌʈha-y-o. send-PST-3s

‘Ram sent his own servant to Sita.’ (elicitation SAR 2011) Even though the dative found on the G of transfer ditransitive verbs is functionally different from the dative found on O, this use is – out of all the numerous uses of the dative (cf. section 3.5.1) – probably the one that is most similar to DOM. As mentioned above, G-DAT is mainly found with animate G; and as mentioned earlier in section 3.3.2.5, all verbs that semantically require an animate G are in the transfer ditransitive class. What’s more, the G of subclass Ia, which are classical recipients without exception and where DAT is obligatory, are usually not only highly animate but also specific and topical, properties that place them very closely to O-DAT (cf. section 3.5). us, very similar factors motivate the alternation DOM and the lexicalised G-DAT of this subclass.