Northern Khanty Approximative Constructions in Pseudo-Partitives

The aim of this article is to propose a formal semantic analysis of the approximative constructions in Northern Khanty ( Khantyic Uralic). The data collected during three field trips is analyzed in the framework of Landman (2004), Rothstein (2017) and related works. Although several works (e.g., (Winkler 2020)) provide typological and comparative information on approximative constructions, a formal account is missing in the literature. The present paper sets out to fill this gap as well as provide a detailed report on pseudo-partitive constructions. I argue that the approximative marker in Northern Khanty is able to attach to numerals and units of measurement and its distribution forms a diagnostic of pseudo-partitivity. In such constructions, I associate different word orders to different syntactic structures and final truth conditions. This work strives to advance both formal semantics as applied to minority language and Khantyic (and even broader – Uralic) studies, providing new typological data.