Perifrastic Future Devices in Salaca Livonian
Perifrastic Future Devices in Salaca Livonian

Summary/Abstract: In Finnic languages, the future is often expressed by means of the present tense. In addition to the present tense, there are also periphrastic devices that convey the future. Such devices involve verbs that have developed or are developing into future markers. This article concentrates on one of the varieties of Livonian — Salaca Livonian. It analyses the development of the verbs tulla ’come’, ürg ’begin’, sād ’become’ and līd ’will’ (copula) that on the basis of broader typological background can be regarded as possible future markers in Salaca Livonian. The aim is to show to what extent these verbs have grammaticalized. The article reveals that līd is the most grammaticalized verb, as it also expresses the future in its temporal sense.

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