Imperative in Interrogatives in Estonian (Kihnu), Latvian and Livonian

Abstract

The Estonian subdialect Kihnu, Latvian and Kuronian Livonian share a type of interrogative containing morphemes whose primary function is to mark 3rd person imperatives. This construction is not attested in other Estonian dialects or in Standard Estonian, other than in some petrified idioms. In Kihnu and Latvian, the question type is used for deliberative questions. This interrogative type may have originally been used as a translation of German Konjunktiv in embedded interrogatives, but by the desubordination process, it has spread to main clauses as well. This the most probable scenario for Estonian (Kihnu subdialect). Contacts between Kihnu and Livonian and Latvian have probably reinforced this interrogative type in terms of structural relevance and usage frequency.

The Livonian jussive: person and function

“…Introducing purpose clauses using an indirect imperative form is unique to Latvian and Livonian in the region (somewhat similar usage has also been attested in Hungarian (Péteri 2012)). Using indirect imperatives in questions is also a peculiar usage specific to Livonian and Latvian, such usage is also attested on Kihnu in Estonia (Kehayov, Lindström & Niit 2011). Note that Kihnu might have been in close contact with Livonians and/or Latvians.…”

“…The analytical third-person imperative usage has also been expanded and is used productively to introduce purpose clauses in Latvian (Dailidėnaitė 2022, Auziņa et al 2015. Indirect imperatives are attested in interrogatives in Latvian, Livonian, and the Estonian dialect of Kihnu (Kehayov, Lindström & Niit 2011); however, such usage -while not unique -is not typical and is not considered a part of imperative usage in general linguistics and is specific to languages or regions. This makes it clear that concession, purpose, and questions are non-prototypical functions of imperatives.…”

Syntactic variation in ‘need’-constructions in Estonian dialects

“…There has been some work on Estonian dialect syntax, but most of it has concerned only a particular syntactic phenomenon in a particular (sub-)dialect (e.g. Koit 1963; Neetar 1964, 1970; Lindström et al 2009; Mets 2010; Uiboaed 2010; Kehayov, Lindström & Niit 2011; Velsker 2013, Metslang & Lindström 2017). Some syntactic features are also listed in descriptions of dialects (e.g.…”

Research into Livonian syntax: the results of previous studies and the tasks ahead

“…section 4). These sentence types have not received separate attention in the case of Livonian, but some information can still be found, e.g., the rules for word order were discussed in connection with sentence types by Sjögren and Wiedemann (1861a) (see section 4), Metslang et al (2015) also analyse polar questions in an article on negation, Kehayov et al (2011) compare the use of the imperative in Estonian (Kihnu), Latvian, and Livonian interrogatives (see subsection 2.1.2). Therefore, the various sentence types require a study of their own.…”

“…As they point out, where Livonian uses the jussive, Estonian typically uses the conditional mood (Kehayov et al 2012: 50). Kehayov et al (2011) 'How to do this?' (Mägiste 2006: 154) The quotative can be given as a mood along with the other moods described above (see Krautmane 2010, Viitso 2008 or it can also be referred to as the means for expressing evidentiality, more precisely indirect evidentiality where information is acquired from another person (see Kehayov et al 2012).…”