Comitative-based inclusory constructions in Lithuanian and their cross-linguistic background

Abstract

In this contribution, I examine Lithuanian constructions of the type mes/jūs/jie su X ʻwe/you/they with Xʼ that refer to only two participants. In other words, thereferential scope of the first element encompasses the referential scope of the second. Such constructions are known as inclusory or inclusory pronominal constructions in the literature. In the descriptive tradition of Lithuanian studies, these constructions have not gained enough attention. This paper fills this gap by presenting an elicitation based investigation of the morphosyntactic parameters and semantics of this family of constructions. While the primary focus is descriptive, the Lithuanian case is also situated within a broader typological and areal context. I propose the preliminary hypothesis that inclusory constructions based on comitative markers are the result of language contact and constitute an areal feature in parts of Europe and Asia.