flat:abs: clausal absolutive
Consider the following example.
# visual-style 3 4 flat:abs color:green
1 Вони вони PRON noun:p:v_naz:&pron:pers:3 Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs 2 nsubj _ _
2 розповідали розповідати VERB verb:imperf:past:p Aspect=Imp|Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _
3 одне один DET _ Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|PronType=Dem 2 iobj _ _
4 одному один DET _ Case=Dat|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|PronType=Dem 3 flat:abs _ _
5 історії історія NOUN _ Animacy=Inan|Case=Acc|Gender=Fem|Number=Plur 2 obj _ _
6 . . PUNCT _ _ 2 punct _ _
# visual-style 3 4 flat:abs color:green
1 They _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
2 told _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
3 one _ _ _ _ 2 iobj _ _
4 another _ _ _ _ 3 flat:abs _ _
5 stories _ _ _ _ 2 obj _ _
6 . _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
Here, одне одному “one another” is acting as a single unit — an indirect object of the main predicate (like German einander) while having a predication on its own (one told another — notice that one even has a nominative case signifying a subject). A basic tree is unable to capture such secondary structure, therefore we use flat:abs here.
This phenomenon is not limited to pure reciprocals:
# visual-style 6 8 flat:abs color:green
1 Величезна величезний ADJ _ Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 3 amod _ _
2 пірамідальна пірамідальний ADJ _ Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 3 amod _ _
3 будівля будівля NOUN _ Animacy=Inan|Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 4 nsubj _ _
4 здіймалася здійматися VERB _ Aspect=Imp|Gender=Fem|Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Reverse=Yes|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin 0 root _ _
5 вгору вгору ADV _ _ 4 advmod _ _
6 тераса тераса NOUN _ Animacy=Inan|Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 4 obl _ _
7 за за ADP _ Case=Ins 8 case _ _
8 терасою тераса NOUN _ Animacy=Inan|Case=Ins|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing 6 flat:abs _ SpaceAfter=No
9 . . PUNCT _ _ 4 punct _ _
# visual-style 6 8 flat:abs color:green
1 Huge _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
2 pyramidal _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
3 building _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
4 rose _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
5 up _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
6 terrace _ _ _ _ 4 obl _ _
7 by _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
8 terrace _ _ _ _ 6 flat:abs _ _
9 . _ _ _ _ 0 root _ _
Do not confuse flat:abs with flat:sibl.
For the discussion on clausal absolutive constructions, see issue #557.
flat:abs in other languages: [uk]