The problem of nominative-ergative transitions

Abstract

The paper addresses a repeatedly discussed question in alignment system typology, namely whether there are processes that turn full-fledged nominative constructions into ergative or vice versa. On the basis of his historical-typological theory of sentence pattern evolution, schematogony, the author strives for a deeper understanding of the historical relations between the two alignment patterns, taking the tripartite and active alignments into consideration as well. He arrives at a conclusion that an indirect shift from ergative to nominative is nearly excluded, while the opposite is only possible in cases of the initial construction’s predicate being a participle rather than a finite verb. Indeed, it is the (proto)active pattern that can be shown to be the common predecessor of both nominative and ergative constructions (yielding their indirect relationship) and, although the ergative pattern is more conservative, the two construction types addressed emerged independently of each other.