Data and R code are provided for statistical analysis of approximately 39,000 corpus examples of predicate agreement in constructions with quantified subjects in Russian.
The analysis indicates that these constructions constitute a network of constructions (“allostructions”) with various preferences for singular or plural agreement. Factors pull in different directions, and we observe a relatively stable situation in the face of variation. We present an analysis of a multidimensional network of allostructions in Russian, thus contributing to our understanding of allostructional relationships in Construction Grammar. With regard to historical linguistics, language stability is an understudied field. We illustrate an interplay of divergent factors that apparently resists language change. The syntax of numerals and other quantifiers represents a notoriously complex phenomenon of the Russian language. Our study sheds new light on the contributions of factors that favor singular or plural agreement in sentences with quantified subjects.
R, R version 4.2.1 (2022-06-23) -- "Funny-Looking Kid" Copyright (C) 2022 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing