Dependent Case Assignment with Verb Roots -ждать ~ -жидать

Despite the abundance of research on variation in object marking of the unprefixed Russian verb ždat’, previous studies offer little discussion of object case marking of the prefixed derivatives of this verb. The present work examines object case assignment with the prefixed derivatives of the verbal roots ždat’~ židat’. The research is based on the data obtained from the Russian National Corpus. I examine case marking of the verbs, the diachronic changes in the case of the object, the factors that influence variation in object case marking, and semantic shifts. The corpus data suggest that certain verbs exclusively license either the accusative or the genitive their objects, other verbs may license both of these cases. Besides, the data reveal diachronic changes of different kinds. We attest changes in the lexical co-occurrence, the case marking of objects, as well as semantic shifts over time. In addition, reflexive verbs with the root ždat’ allow of objects in the accusative case, although the traditional definition states that reflexives cannot take objects in the accusative. The outcomes of this research are expected to shed light on the evolution of object marking within this particular group of Russian verbs. The findings of the study challenge the traditional definition of reflexives, and thus they are likely to stimulate further research on the topic. The resulting fuller descriptions of case marking and semantic changes are expected to make a contribution to the Russian lexicographic practices.