In linguistic morphology, causative mood serves to express a causal relation, e.g., a logical inference relation, between the current clause and the clause or sentence it refers to. It occurs, for example, in Eskimo-Aleut languages.

Causative mood is not to be confused with the unrelated notion of causative voice, a valency-shifting operation in many languages.

Inuktitut

In Inuktitut, the causative is used to link propositions that follow logically. It is much more broadly used in Inuktitut than similar structures are in English. The causative is one of the most important ways of connecting two clauses in Inuktitut:

ex:
ᖃᓐᓂᕐᒪᑦ ᙯᙱᑦᑐᖓ
Qannirmat qainngittunga

ᖃᓐᓂᖅ

qanniq-

to snow

ᒪᑦ

-mat

4 NSP CAUS

ᙯ

qai-

to come

ᙱᑦ

-nngit-

not

ᑐᖓ

-tunga

1SG NSP

ᖃᓐᓂᖅ ᒪᑦ ᙯ ᙱᑦ ᑐᖓ

qanniq- -mat qai- -nngit- -tunga

{to snow} {4 NSP CAUS} {to come} {not} {1SG NSP}

Because it is snowing, I am not coming. (Inuktitut, North Baffin dialect)

ex:
takummat

taku-

to see

-mmat

4 SG NSP

taku- -mmat

{to see} {4 SG NSP}

because he sees; when he/she saw. (Arctic Quebec Inuktitut; Dorais 1990,[1] p.225)

West Greenlandic

In West Greenlandic, the causative (sometimes called the conjunctive) is used to construct subordinate clauses that express cause or time (when in the past) (Fortescue 1990, p.314).[2] It is used to mean "because", "since" or "when", sometimes also "that". The causative is used also in main clauses to imply an underlying cause.[3]

ex:

qasu-gami

be tired-CAU/3SG

innar-poq

go to bed-3SG

qasu-gami innar-poq

{be tired}-CAU/3SG {go to bed}-3SG

"He went to bed because he was tired" (Greenlandic)

ex:

matta-ttor-ama

blubber-eat-CAU/1SG

matta-ttor-ama

blubber-eat-CAU/1SG

"I've eaten blubber (that's why I'm not hungry)" (Greenlandic)

ex:

ani-guit

go out-COND/2SG

eqqaama-ssa-vat

remember-FUT-IMP

teriannia-qar-mat

fox-are-CAUS

ani-guit eqqaama-ssa-vat teriannia-qar-mat

{go out}-COND/2SG remember-FUT-IMP fox-are-CAUS

"If you go out, remember that there are foxes" (Greenlandic)

Yup'ik

In Central Alaskan Yup'ik, the causal suffix -nga is used to form subordinate clauses that are translated as "because", or "when".

References

  1. ↑ Dorais, L. J. (1990). The Canadian Inuit and their language. Arctic languages: An awakening, ed. Dirmid RF Collis, 185-291.
  2. ↑ Fortescue, M. (1990). Basic structures and processes in West Greenlandic. Arctic Languages, an awakening, 309-332.
  3. ↑ Bjørnum(2003) pp. 43–44
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