Синтаксические функции инфинитива в современном эрзянском языке

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the syntactic functions of the infinitive using the material of one of the Mordovian languages, Erzya. The paper presents the polyfunctionality of this indefinite verb form conditioned by the synthesis of verbal and substantive semes. The study is novel in that it is the first in Mordovian linguistics to describe in detail the syntactic role of the infinitive. As a result, it has been revealed that in the sentence, the infinitive, just like the noun, can perform the functions of all the members of the sentence that are, except for the predicate, unmorphologized. A number of syntactic functions of the infinitive have been commented on. It has been indicated that taking into account the syntactic use, the infinitive is divided into the independent type (the subject of a two-member sentence or the main member of a one-member verbal sentence) and the dependent type (a component of a compound verbal predicate, attribute, object, adverbial modifiers of various categories). It has been determined that the infinitive subordinate to a finite verb form can be a subject infinitive (denotes an action whose subject coincides with the subject of the finite verb form), an object infinitive (indicates an action (state) as the object of activity of someone or something that is not the subject) or a subject-object infinitive (indicates the subject that is the producer of an action that should not be carried out). It has been noted that the infinitive can occupy important communicative positions in the text, bringing emotional coloring to its content.