Сross-category typological review of apparetive models in comparison with tropative models

In this paper, an attempt is made to apply the cross-category comparison (natural vs constructed vs other languages) method, used previously for tropative ("X considers Y to be Z") constructions analysis, to the ways of expression of apparetive — a grammatical function 'X seems to be Y'. Apparetive constructions of 95 languages of different origin are compared according to the apparetivity class (the degree of integrity between the apparetive marker and the characteristic Y) and the ways of negative constructions ('X does not seem to be Y') derivation. The rationale behind comparison of cross-category patterns of the two functions is their semantic proximity ('to consider' vs 'to seem'), typologically frequent interchange, and structural similarity. The present research, as well as previous, was carried out with the cross-sectional method, involving a short query for native speakers and users of languages. The rationale for choosing an unconventional method was the low level of coverage of apparetive, as well as necessity of methodological unity. The results of research from different categories were compared with the Fisher’s exact test. Since apparetive, as well as tropative, is rarely expressed morphologically,and therefore, rarely examined in grammar descriptions, choice of a pattern for a constructed or a supervised language can only be based on the author's own ideas about its correspondence to the aim of the language. Thus, examining such languages and their comparison with natural languages can provide us with additional information on authors' and users' ideas about functional models, which can make us closer to understanding correlation between language ability and ideas about it. The conclusion was made that the cross-category patterns of tropative and apparetive are different: While the correlation exists between the origin of a language and its tropative patterns, the apparetive patterns are almost uniform across categories. This discrepancy is illustrated by highlighting the differences between tropative and apparetive patterns, compared within the category with the same test.