Abstract:

In this paper we propose a feature-based analysis of Cappadocian Greek nominal inflection. In particular, based on the formal description of Standard Greek nominal inflection by Ralli (2000), we identify the inflectional formatives and analyse them as bundles of features expressing number, case, animacy and inflectional class. The feature specification of each ending determines its distribution in the relevant variety. Similarly, inflectional classes are defined on the basis of (a) the compatibility of a given noun with an inflectional pattern and (b) the base alternations it exhibits. Such an approach has the advantage of accounting for the variation in base formation and for the agglutinative inflectional patterns by means of systematic base allomorphy and default formatives.