Kosheleva M.V. The Functioning of the Second and Third Infinitives in the Veps Language: A Corpus-Based Study Using the VepKar Corpus

Posted on 30.03.2026 by editor

Скачать (pdf)

Original article

https://doi.org/10.15507/2076-2577.018.2026.01.022-031
https://elibrary.ru/cylyrs
УДК / UDC 81’367.625:811.511.112:811.511.115

The Functioning of the Second and Third Infinitives in the Veps Language: A Corpus-Based Study Using the VepKar Corpus

M. V. Kosheleva
Petrozavodsk State University
Institute of Linguistics, Literature and History, Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Petrozavodsk, Russian Federation

Abstract

Introduction. The Veps language, as a language with a relatively recent written tradition, requires special attention in terms of the analysis of its grammatical structure. This study forms part of a broader investigation of Veps as the language of an indigenous minority people, conducted with the aim of its revitalisation. The need to examine and further elaborate the rules governing the use of non-finite verbal forms in Veps is conditioned by the insufficient degree of research not only on non-finite forms themselves, but also on the syntactic system of the Veps language as a whole. The aim of the present study is to analyse the functioning of the Veps II and III infinitive forms on the basis of data from the Open Corpus of Veps and Karelian Languages (VepKar).

Materials and Methods. The article analyses instances of the use and functioning of the second and third infinitives in Vepsian dialectal texts drawn from the Open Corpus of the Vepsian and Karelian Languages. The comparative and descriptive methods employed in the study made it possible to identify and present patterns and differences in infinitive usage across dialects. The corpus-based approach was used to establish statistics on the frequency of these forms within sentences, while grammatical and syntactic analysis enabled the identification of regularities in the syntactic functioning of infinitives.

Results and Discussion. The study identifies dialectal features in the use of case forms of infinitives, as well as their semantic functions and frequency of occurrence. In Veps, two forms of the second infinitive are distinguished – the inessive and the instructive – and four forms of the third infinitive – the illative, inessive, abessive, and elative – whose semantic meanings correspond to case functions. The inessive form of the second infinitive is the most productive across all Veps dialects compared to the instructive form and exhibits dialect-specific semantic differentiation: in Eastern and Southern Veps dialects, the final function is predominant, whereas in Northern and Central dialects the temporal function prevails. The illative form of the third infinitive demonstrates the highest productivity in all dialects. The low productivity of the remaining case forms is evidenced by their infrequent occurrence in the Corpus texts. Overall, the productivity of the forms under consideration shows only minor variation across dialects.

Conclusion. The obtained results contribute to a deeper understanding of the morphological system of the Veps language and broaden insights into the variability of infinitival constructions in its dialectal varieties. The study is significant for further research on the syntactic systems of Finno-Ugric languages and their dialectology.

Keywords: corpus linguistics, Vepsian language, II infinitive, III infinitive, syntactic functions of infinitives

Funding: The financial support for the research was provided from the federal budget for the implementation of the state assignment of the Karelian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Conflict of interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.

For citation: Kosheleva M.V. The Functioning of the Second and Third Infinitives in the Veps Language: A Corpus-Based Study Using the VepKar Corpus. Finno–Ugric World. 2026;18(1):22‒31. https://doi.org/10.15507/2076-2577.018.2026.01.022-031

REFERENCES

  1. Vodyasova L.P. Infinitive Sentences as a Means of Verbalization of Emotionality in the Text of Fiction. The Humanities and Education. 2020;11(4):131‒135. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://elibrary.ru/fefucn
  2. Vodyasova L.P. Syntactic Functions of the Infinitive in the Modern Erzya Language. Philology. Theory & Practice. 2023;16(7):2138‒2144. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.30853/phil20230320
  3. Onina S.V. Imperative Constructions with Infinitive in the Khanty Language. Philology. Theory & Practice. 2017;(12):133‒138. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://elibrary.ru/zrqxlh
  4. Нamunen M. Juosten vai juoksemalla? Infiniittisten ten- ja malla- rakenteiden semantiikkaa ja murrejakaumaa. Sananjalka. 2017;59(59):125–153. (In Finn.) https://doi.org/10.30673/sja.66630
  5. Ylikoski J. Remarks on Veps purposive non-finites. Journal de la Société Finno-Ougrienne. 2004;(90):231–276. (In Fr.)
  6. Ivanova G.P. Polypredicative Constructions with Infinitive in Inessive Case in Veps Language (Compared with Finnish Language). Siberian Journal of Philology. 2013;(3):205–220. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) Available at: https://philology.nsc.ru/journals/spj/article.php?id=877 (accessed 15.12.2025).
  7. Kosheleva M.V. [Syntactic Functions of the Instrumental Form of the II Infinitive in the Veps Language]. Filologicheskie issledovaniya. 2020;12. (In Russ.) Available at: http://academy.petrsu.ru/journal/article.php?id=3783 (accessed 12.12.2025).
  8. Kosheleva M.V. Syntactic Functions of the Inessive of II Infinitive in the Veps Language: Dynamics of Development. Finno-Ugric World. 2020;12(3):242–249. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.15507/2076-2577.012.2020.03.242-249
  9. Zaitseva N.G., Mullonen I.I. Development of the Dialectal Areas of Vepsian: “Vepsian Linguistic Atlas”. Voprosy Jazykoznanija. 2018;(6):85–103. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.31857/S0373658X0002021-2
  10. Kosheleva M.V. Features of the Functioning of the I Infinitive in the Veps Language Based on the Materials of the Open Corpus of Veps and Karelian Languages. Finno-Ugric World. 2023;15(4):408–420. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) Available at: https://csfu.mrsu.ru/ru/archives/4788 (accessed 12.12.2025).
  11. Novak I.P. Basic Vocabulary of the Karelian and Vepsian Languages in the Linguistic and Geographical Aspect. Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2021;11(1):90–101. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.)
  12. Novak I.P. Determining Regular Phonetic Correspondences in the Karelian Dialects. Consonantism. Ural-Altaic Studies. 2024;(1):42–85. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.37892/2500-2902-2024-52-1-42-85
  13. Boyko T.P., Zaitseva N.G., Krizhanovskaya N.B., Krizhanovsky A.A., Novak I.P., Pellinen N.A., et al. The Linguistic Corpus VepKar is a Language Refuge for the Balticfinnish Languages of Karelia. Transactions of the Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2021;(7):100–115. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://elibrary.ru/mowaeh
  14. Zaitseva N.G., Krizhanovskaya N.B. Corpus Linguistics in the Baltic-Finnic Research Area (the Corpus of the Veps Language and the Open Corpus of the Veps and Karelian Languages). Nordic and Baltic Studies Review. 2018;(3):264‒273. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.15393/j103.art.2018.1062
  15. Zaitseva N.G. [Essays on Veps Dialectology (Linguogeographical Aspect): Monograph]. Petrozavodsk; 2016. 395 р. (In Russ.)
  16. Kosheleva M.V. Infinitive Constructions with the Semantics of Direction in the Veps Language. Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2021;43(7):71–77. (In Russ., abstract in Eng.) https://doi.org/10.15393/uchz.art.2021.682

Information about the author:

Maria V. Kosheleva, Cand. Sci. (Philol.), Senior Lecturer of the Department of Baltic-Finnic Philology, Petrozavodsk State University (33 Lenin Prospekt, Petrozavodsk 185910, Russian Federation); Junior Research Fellow of the Linguistics Section, Institute of Language, Literature and History, Karelian Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (11 Pushkinskaya St., Petrozavodsk 185910, Russian Federation), ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-9468-9580, SPIN-code: 2277-0930, koshelevamasha@bk.ru

The author has read and approved the final manuscript.

Submitted 22.06.2025; revised 27.08.2025; accepted 03.09.2025.

This entry was posted in Unrubric. Bookmark the permalink.