inconverb

Inconverb is a term used in linguistics to describe a non-finite verb form that creates adverbial subordination without forming a separate finite clause. Inconverbs function to relate the action of the subordinate verb to the action of the main clause, often conveying sequencing, manner, cause, or purpose. They typically do not carry tense marking or subject agreement, and they attach to the main verb rather than forming a fully independent sentence.

In languages with converbs, inconverbs are usually formed as suffixes or cliticized forms on a verb stem. A well-known example comes from Turkish, where verb stems can take converb forms such as -ip to connect clauses. These forms express relations such as sequential action or accompaniment, and the subordinate action shares the same subject as the main clause. For instance, Turkish sentences may use a converb to express “having eaten, he rested” or “reading the book, I took notes.”

Functions commonly associated with inconverbs include temporal sequencing (the subordinate action occurs before, after, or alongside the main action), manner or means (how the action is performed), and sometimes cause or purpose. In some languages, converbs also express condition or concession.

Relation to other forms: inconverb forms are related to participles and other non-finite devices used for adverbial subordination, but they are distinct in that their primary function is to connect clauses and indicate adverbial meaning without introducing a finite subordinate clause. The term is often contrasted with finite subordination and with participial constructions.