Nonlocal uses of local cases in the Tsezic languages.

The Tsezic languages form a sub-branch of the Nakh-Daghestanian language family. They have up to eight location markers that can be combined with up to six orientation markers in order to form complex spatial categories. Outside the spatial domain these markers indicate temporal and metaphorical location and orientation. Their grammatical uses include among others the marking of verbal arguments, of nonfinite verb forms in adverbial clauses and the expression of possession or purpose. This paper is meant to provide a comprehensive description of the nonlocal functions in relation to the spatial functions and to reveal the structure in the distribution of nonlocal functions of the cases. The nonlocal uses are not equally distributed among the local cases. Some location and orientation markers have many nonlocal functions while others have almost only local uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]