Diathetic problem of the Baltic ā-preterits to the simple thematic presents

ENTwo stem formations are known in the Baltic simple preterit system: the āpreterit and ē-preterit. This paper discusses the prehistoric background of the ā-preterit. Previous studies have indicated at least two Slavic categories comparable to the Baltic ā-preterit: the thematic aorist with the middle-intransitive meaning and the ā-aorist of the second stem in -a-. Based on the comparison of the Baltic ā-preterit and the Slavic ā-aorist, the Balto-Slavic ā-aorist is reconstructed, while the comparison of the middleintransitive thematic aorists in Slavic and some ā-preterit in Baltic allows for the reconstruction of the Balto-Slavic thematic aorist. Recent investigations have shown that the middle-intransitive thematic aorist in Proto-Balto-Slavic may have developed from the Indo-European middle root-aorist. On the other hand, the origin of the Balto-Slavic ā-aorist remains subject to debate, but it seems clear that the ā-aorist acquired a durative function in Balto-Slavic. Building on these previous studies, it is argued in this paper that the Baltic ā-preterit developed through a merger of at least two different Balto-Slavic categories. The article will also describe both how the merger might have taken place, and how the Baltic ā-preterit might have been organized through the merger. Keywords: Baltic languages; Lithuanian; simple preterit tense; Aktionsart; transitivity; voice.