The case system of the Vilamovicean adjective – from description to explanation

Alexander Andrason

doi:10.5774/42-0-139

Abstract

The present paper offers a detailed description and analysis of the adjectival declensional patterns in the Modern Vilamovicean language. The idiom possesses six declensional patterns – restricted to distinct environments – that, from a morphological perspective, form a continuum ranging from a strong declension (classes 1, 2 and 3) to a weak one (class 6), through intermediate mixed paradigms (classes 4 and 5). Nowadays, only the mixed and weak classes are productive and common. If compared with Classical Vilamovicean, the adjectival declension has suffered a process of syncretism and decay, evolving towards a two-case marking: nominative versus accusative-dative in the masculine singular and nominative-accusative versus dative elsewhere. Thus, the adjectival morphological case marking is more effective than in the nominal system (where no case distinction is usually made) but less successful than in the pronominal system (where a three-case distinction predominates). Within a typological-grammaticalization framework, the inflectional organization of Vilamovicean adjectives can be defined as an advanced case system.

Highlights

Vilamovicean is a Germanic language that is spoken in Wilamowice, a small town located in Western Galicia in Poland
In accordance with the objectives of the article, I have offered a detailed description and analysis of the adjectival case system in Modern Vilamovicean: the language possesses six declensional patterns, the morphological traits of which enable us to arrange them into a continuum that connects two poles, namely strong declension and weak declension
Each class is restricted to a distinct environment

Summary

Introduction

Vilamovicean is a Germanic language that is spoken in Wilamowice, a small town located in Western Galicia in Poland. All the users of the Vilamovicean idiom, who may be viewed as fully competent and proficient, were born before the Second World War. All the users of the Vilamovicean idiom, who may be viewed as fully competent and proficient, were born before the Second World War This implies that the speakers are of quite an advanced age. Given their extremely reduced number and a lack of administrative commitment to teaching the tongue to the Vilamovicean youth, there is a high probability of its extinction in the near future. In the ten or fifteen years, the Vilamovicean language – at least, if conceived as a real social phenomenon – will cease to exist

Objectives

Discussion

Conclusion