The Verb in Georgian Linguistic Literature of the 18th-19th Centuries

Abstract

 All the fundamental linguistic researches of the 18th-19th centuries provide very interesting and valuable information about the verb, its categories and the derivative affixes. Clearly, for a variety of reasons, a number of these views have only historical significance today, although there are some valuable observations from the present point of view. The paper discusses grammatical works of Zurab Shanshovani, Anton Bagrationi, Gaioz Rector, Davit and Ioane Bagrationi, Varlam Eristavi, Ioane Kartvelishvili, Solomon Dodashvili and Platon Ioseliani. All Georgian grammarians of this period consider the verb as an independent part of speech and give its characterization. However, it is indisputable that the provisions referred to by Anton I regarding the verb categories became a kind of basis and impetus for the grammarians of the later period, as his grammar is the first fundamental linguistic work of the Georgian language. Many different, interesting opinions have been expressed about the verb by some grammarians of the later period, while some reject a number of valuable remarks of Antony.