Zozo zuriaren xerka: euskararen optatiboaren historia

• Published in: Fontes linguae vasconum no. 122; pp. 433 - 462
• Main Author: Manuel Padilla-Moyano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Gobierno de Navarra 01-12-2016
• Subjects: modality; optative; Souletin dialect; verbal morphology
• ISSN: 0046-435X; 2530-5832

Munduko hizkuntza guztiek igurikimen eta desioak adieraz ditzaketen arren, soilik gutxiengo batek du funtzio horretarako flexio berezia aditzean, modu optatibo deitua. Orain arte, zubereraren deskripzio guztiek optatiboaren existentzia nabarmendu dute, ai(t)- aurrizkidun formen paradigmarekin. Euskara historikoan, hala mendebaldean nola erdialdean ere, halako formak lekukotuak dira, optatiboa behiala hizkuntza osoaren ezaugarria zelako frogantza. Lan honetan euskararen optatiboaren deskripzio diakroniko bat eskaini nahi dugu. Optatibozko formen lekukotza, eremua eta iraupena azterturik, ai(t)- aurrizkiaren jatorriaren gaineko hipotesi bat formulatuko dugu. Azkenean, igurikimen eta desioen gainerako adierazpideak aztertuko dira. Though all languages are able to convey hopes and desires, only some among them have a specific verbal inflection for this purpose, the optative mood. Up to now, every grammatical description of Souletin Basque (Eastern dialect) has emphasized the existence of the optative mood, with verbal forms showing the prefix ai(t)-. In historical Basque, such forms are attested also in western and central dialects; thus, the optative mood undoubtedly was a common feature of Basque. The aim of this paper is to offer a diachronic description of Basque optative. We will address the optative forms, their extension in space and time, and we shall propose a hypothesis on the origin of the prefix ai(t)-. Finally, we will succinctly describe other ways of expression of hopes and desires in Basque.