Periphrastic causative constructions in 17th century Latvian
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Perifrastinės kauzatyvinės konstrukcijos; Senoji latvių kalba; Periphrastic causative constructions; Permissive causatives; Factitive causatives; Old Latvian.
ENPermissive and factitive causative constructions are analyzed based on a corpus of 17th century Old Latvian texts. I demonstrate that the construction with the verb likt still has permissive and factitive functions similar to the 16th century use but different from the modern use, where only the factitive function of likt remains. I suggest that the factitive use of likt possibly developed under direct influence of (or supported by) the German lassen construction. Permissive constructions with dot, laist, ļaut, and (at-)vēlēt are also discussed and of those, the latter two are not found in the 16th century corpus and (at-)vēlēt is no longer used as permissive in modern Latvian. In factitive constructions, the verb (pie-)spiest is also sometimes used, but constructions with likt are much more frequent. The marking of permittee and causee varies between dative and accusative in some constructions; I argue that the dative should be seen as original in dot constructions and most likely original in likt constructions, and that the use of the accusative instead of the dative may reflect the influence of German constructions with lassen + ACC. I also discuss reflexive constructions, which usually occur with likt and frequently contain two affixal reflexive markers. In these constructions, the permittee can be marked by a PP with no, which is a copy of a corresponding German lassen construction containing a PP with von. [Publisher annotation]
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