Hallo!

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 10:45:53 +0100,
Peter Bleackley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Suppose a language has a split-S system, whereby there are two verb
> classes, one of which takes an Erg/Abs argument structure, and one of which
> takes a Nom/Acc argument structure. What are those classes likely to be?

Usually, it is active verbs (verbs denoting actions performed by
the subject) that take the nom/acc marking (i.e., mark their subject
like a transitive subject) and non-active verbs (verbs denoting
states of the subject or events happening to it) that take erg/abs
marking (i.e., mark their subject like a transitive object).

Here are some examples from my conlang Old Albic, which works
this way (I know too little of any split-S natlang to give
a natlang example, I'm sorry):

(1) O     ndero   obosca.
    M-AGT man-AGT AOR-flee-3SG:A
    `The man fled.'

(2) Om    nderom  acara.
    M-OBJ man-OBJ AOR-sit-3SG:P
    `The man sat.'

(3) O     ndero   ibretara              am    phath.
    M-AGT man-OBJ AOR-break-3SG:P-3SG:A I-OBJ knife-OBJ
    `The man broke the knife.'

In (1), the subject takes the same case marking as the subject
in (3) because it performs an action, while in (2), it takes
the same case marking as the object in (3) because it does not
perform an action.

Some languages, however, go even beyond that.  `Fluid-S' languages
have verbs that can have either marking on the subject, depending
on whether it is performing the action or not.  Again, Old Albic
may serve as an example:

(4) Atto       maro        acvamsa.
    father-AGT 1SG-GEN-AGT AOR-come-3SG:A
    `My father came.'

(5) Gratath    thas        acvama.
    letter-OBJ 2SG-GEN-OBJ AOR-come-3SG:P
    `Your letter came.'

Here, the case marking (and the agreement marking on the verb)
is different because the father travelled out of his own effort,
while the letter was merely carried about by someone,
the inanimate object it is.

Abbreviations used above:

1SG  first person singular
2SG  second person singular
3SG  third person singular
A    agent agreement
AGT  agentive case
AOR  aorist
GEN  genitive case
I    inanimate gender
M    masculine gender
OBJ  objective case
P    patient agreement

Greetings,

Jörg.