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Title: Serial Verbs in Urdu
Authors: Zafeer Hussin Kiani, Nadeem Haider Bukhari
Journal: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (JSSH)
Publisher: Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad (AIOU)
Country: Pakistan
Year: 2022
Volume: 30
Issue: 1
Language: English
This study aims to explore the nature of serial verbs in Urdu. Serial verbconstructions have two verbs that occur in a sequence, without anyintervention between them and the construction indicates two actionssimultaneously. The data for this study was collected from personalobservation and books. The data was analyzed by applying various testssuggested by Bukhari (2009). The study confirms the existence of serial verbsin Urdu. The Urdu serial verbs have their own domain and are different fromcomplex predicate constructions. They share the tense that is marked on thelast verb. These verbs do not permit any marker of coordination orsubordination in the structure and share the same subject and object. Theserial verbs also share the negation marker when it precedes the first verb inthe construction. In Urdu serial verb constructions, the final verb showsagreement and non-final verb appears in root form. This final verb agreeswith the highest nominative argument in number and gender.
To explore the nature of serial verbs in Urdu and confirm their existence, distinguishing them from complex predicate constructions.
The study employed personal observation and books for data collection. Various tests suggested by Bukhari (2009) were applied for data analysis.
graph TD
A[Personal Observation & Books] --> B[Data Collection];
B --> C[Apply Bukhari's Tests];
C --> D[Data Analysis];
D --> E[Identify Serial Verbs in Urdu];
E --> F[Distinguish from Complex Predicates];
F --> G[Analyze Features: Tense, Agreement, Case, Scrambling];
G --> H[Confirm Existence and Uniqueness];
The paper differentiates serial verb constructions from complex predicates by their semantic function (two actions vs. one action) and syntactic features. It highlights that Urdu serial verbs share tense, do not allow intervening markers, and have specific agreement and case marking rules. Scrambling of verb groups is allowed as a whole unit in Urdu serial verbs, unlike in Gojri.
Serial verb constructions exist in Urdu and are distinct from complex predicate constructions. They share tense marked on the last verb, do not permit coordination or subordination markers, and share the same subject and object. The final verb shows agreement in number and gender with the highest nominative argument, while non-final verbs appear in root form.
Urdu has a limited range of serial verb constructions that are semantically and syntactically distinct from complex predicates. The study refutes the notion that serial verb constructions are absent in South Asian languages and confirms their presence in Urdu with unique features.
- Serial verb constructions indicate two actions simultaneously. (Confirmed in abstract and discussion)
- The final verb in Urdu serial verb constructions shows agreement with the highest nominative argument in number and gender. (Confirmed in abstract and discussion)
- Serial verbs do not permit any marker of coordination or subordination in the structure. (Confirmed in abstract and discussion)
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