Abstract
This contribution presents a case study for adjective valence in Hittite in com- parison with other IE languages. The types of adjective valence can formally be described as classes based on the language's inflectional system.
If a syntactic slot is available (e. g. a specific case and/or adposition), it seems possible to trace adjectives that make use of it. Hittite is a language with a developed case system, productive adjective derivation and use of adpositions (3).
Surprisingly, the possible slots of expected adjective valence involving adpositions remain unfilled, although it is possible to find evidence for all nominal cases, apart from the accusative (3.1), the expected exceptions being the nominative and the vocative (3.4). Of the verbals, the participles are not found as valence exponents (3.2).
The lack of adjective plus accusative and adjective plus postposition constructions poses a challenge for research on Hittite grammar. The findings of this article point to the fact that it is the syntax that influences the use of adpositions in adjective valence (3.6; 4).