Walk this way : Verbs of motion in three Finno-Ugric languages

Abstract: The verbs of motion in North Khanty, North Saarni and Hungarian, three genetically related, but geographically, culturally and historically separated languages, are analysed from a synchronic and diachronic point of view. The study is based on material deriving from informants and written sources in each language. The synchronic analysis, where the verbs are studied and categorised according to their semantic features, shows that these languages have similarities concerning the qualities and numbers of categories but that the languages diverge as far as the number of verbs in the category containing modified manners of movement are concerned. The diachronic study shows that verbs having basic meaning are more often preserved than verbs having a more peripheral meaning. It is also shown that deixis is genetically bound and preserved even though the language concerned has gone through considerable cultural change.