Volitive constructions
Volitive constructions are sentences expressing an event desired by an agent (semantic and/or syntactic subject). Most commonly this is expressed by a combination of a verb meaning “want” or a linguistic tool with the same meaning, and a linguistic unit encoding the desired event. This parameter considers constructions in which the logical/semantic subject of the desired event is coreferential with (referring to the same entity as) the agent of this desire. One of the questions raised is whether desiderative constructions explicitly include (repeat) the agent desiring that action in the unit expressing the desired event. Explicit volitive constructions include the agent; implicit ones do not.
When identifying the parameter values we also consider what grammatical markers are used for the event of wanting and the wanted event. Types beginning with Vol and Vtm should always be combined using the plus (+) sign. Furthermore, one of the VtumExpl or VtumImpl parameters should also be given in the parameter descriptions. That is, a complex code is made up of three parts (Vol, Vtm and Vtum) combined by the plus (+) sign.
Types:
VolV: Volition is expressed using a finite verb.
VolAff: Volition is expressed by an affix.
VolNonF: Volition is expressed by a non-finite verb form (infinitive, participle, converb).
VolN: Volition is expressed using non-verbal means (a noun, adjective, or adverb).
VolPcl: Volition is expressed by a particle.1
VtmV: The desired event is expressed using a finite verb.
VtmNonF: The desired event is expressed by a non-finite verb form (infinitive, participle, converb).
VtmN: The desired event is expressed using non-verbal means (a noun, adjective, or adverb).
VtmPcl: A particle appears in the clause expressing the desired event.
VtumExpl: The linguistic unit expressing the desired event includes explicit reference to the agent desiring the event.
VtumImpl: The linguistic unit expressing the desired event does not include explicit reference to the agent desiring the event.
When a language displays more than one type, two values can be listed. If one type is dominant, a slash (/) can separate the two values, with the dominant value appearing first; if neither is dominant, they are listed with an ampersand (&) separating the two. The use of parentheses indicates that use of the strategy is not obligatory.