BROSIG, B. (2009). The Function of the Suffix -na in Khalkha Mongolian. Altai Hakpo 19: 87-112. The Altaic Society of Korea.

This paper discusses the function of the Khalkha Mongolian suffix -na. While it has been described as referring to future, present, and timeless situations, how it is used has not yet been specified. This paper is an attempt to shed some light on this, taking into account factors such as aspect oppositions, aktionsart-independent (i.e. generic) uses, text-specific uses, interaction with aktionsart, and age of speaker. Finally, -na is understood to be a bleached imperfective marker that has lost its ability to relate to a specific point in time and is, instead, in the process of acquiring modal connotations.

Keywords: Aspect, aktionsart, imperfective, bleaching, future, modality