Zozo zuriaren xerka : euskararen optatiboaren historia

Abstract

Though all languages are able to convey hopes and desires, only some among them have a specific verbal inflection for this purpose, the optative mood. Up to now, every grammatical description of Souletin Basque (Eastern dialect) has emphasized the existence of the optative mood, with verbal forms showing the prefix ai(t)-. In historical Basque, such forms are attested also in western and central dialects; thus, the optative mood undoubtedly was a common feature of Basque. The aim of this paper is to offer a diachronic description of Basque optative. We will address the optative forms, their extension in space and time, and we shall propose a hypothesis on the origin of the prefix ai(t)-. Finally, we will succinctly describe other ways of expression of hopes and desires in Basque.