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Ce travail propose une description systématique du Lumbu. Cette langue est parlée au Gabon et au Congo. Nous avons porté notre choix sur la variété parlée à Mayumbu ; dans la partie septentrionale du Gabon.Notre approche a porté sur deux niveaux d’analyse suivants : la phonologie et la morphologie de cette langue. Le système phonologique décrit les phonèmes selon le critère de pertinence. En effet, cette première partie décrit le système consonantique et vocalique du lumbu. L’inventaire des phonèmes qui caractérisent la structure même de la langue nous a permis de répertorier seize phonèmes consonantiques et dix phonèmes vocaliques répartis de façon équitable sur la durée de réalisation des voyelles. Cependant, le système vocalique ne comporte pas de voyelles nasales. On note plutôt un phénomène de nasalisation favorisée par la présence d’une consonne nasale placée après la voyelle.La structure syllabique est caractérisée par des syllabes ouvertes c’est-à-dire qu’on ne retrouve pas de consonne en finale de mot. Nous bouclons cette partie par la description du système tonal. Il comporte deux tons simples / H/ (haut), /B / (bas) et deux tons modulés: /Mt / (montant) /Dt/ (descendant). La structure morphologique est envisagée sous deux angles ce qui nous a permis de faire ressortir les caractéristiques morphologiques de chacun des domaines. La description morphologique s’emploie à identifier les différents thèmes nominaux et les différentes structures verbales.La dérivation est relevée aussi bien dans le domaine lexical que verbal. Tout au long de notre travail, nous avons procédé à une analyse dérivationnelle en partant de la forme de base jusqu’à la forme réalisée. Cette façon de faire met en avant les différentes étapes du processus dérivationnel. Les nominaux sont identifiés par rapport aux classes nominales. Le Lumbu compte quatorze classes nominales qui fonctionnent par des appariements singulier /pluriel. Parmi les nominaux nous avons relevé les pronoms, les adjectifs qui se distinguent par la chaîne des accords. / This work provides a systematic description of Lumbu, a bantu language spoken at Mayumba,Gabon. I have chosen to focus on the phonological and morphological analysis.The inventory of phonemes shows 16 consonants and 10 vowels. There are no nasal vowels, butthere is however nazalization favored by the presence of a nasal consonant after the vowel. This part of theanalysis is completed with the description of the tonal system. There are two simple tones /H/ (high) and /B/(low), and also a rising tone /Mt/ (for « montant » in French) and a falling tone /Dt/ (for « descendant » inFrench). Tonal variation is induced by a floating tone.There are 13 noun classes and 3 locative classes. As a rule, classes are grouped in pairs (singular andplural). There is no masculine.feminin distinction. The class prefix of nouns governs concord on all theterms that depend on the noun, i.e., adjectives, demonstratives, possessives, etc.All through the work I have analysed the derivational processes step by step, from the root upwardto the surface form.

The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the attributive noun classes, as well as their suffixal counterparts, firstly in Bantu, and secondly in Zulu. The investigation will be done with reference to aspects such as the following: the general distribution, meaning and function of the attributive noun class prefixes in Bantu. This study will also investigate the distinction between those prefixes which are exclusively used to categorise size and shape deviations, namely those belonging to classes 12/13, 19, 20, 21 and 22; and those class prefixes which have a secondary function of indicating such deviations, namely the prefixes of classes 5/6, 7/8 and 11. The main concern is the way in which these prefixes are often associated with positive or negative emotive perceptions regarding size and shape, and are therefore often used to express amelioration and derogation. In languages such as Zulu and Northern Sotho the existence of possible frozen remnants of such attributive noun class prefixes will be investigated. Some Bantu languages such as Venda that express variations in size and shape as well as the emotive perception by means of suffixes, or by a combination of prefixes and suffixes will be investigated. The possible semantic overlap between the meanings expressed by attributive class prefixes, and/or between the meanings expressed by attributive class prefixes and so-called ‘attributive suffixes’ will also be scrutinized. Apart from the aspects mentioned above, the relationship between augmentative and diminutive suffixes and the notion [+ feminine] in languages such as Zulu and Northern Sotho will be scrutinized. The occurrence of the Zulu suffix -azana/-azane, which is apparently a combination of the diminutive and augmentative suffixes, will also be investigated. This study will firstly provide a typological overview of the various strategies employed in Bantu in order to express variations in shape and size, as well as of the emotive perceptions that accompany such variations. Secondly, this study will provide an insight into the way in which shape and size variations, amelioration and derogation are expressed in Zulu through the utilisation of diminutive and augmentative suffixes. An indication will also be given of the possible diachronic development of attributive categories in this language. This study will make a significant contribution not only to the field of diachronic and comparative Bantu linguistics, but also to Zulu linguistics. This research will furthermore lead to a deeper understanding of the strategies employed in Zulu to express the semantic nuances of amelioration and derogation. / Dissertation (MA (African Languages))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / African Languages / unrestricted

Text in English / This dissertation, deals with the verb structure found in Ju/̕hoansi, Naro and !Xóõ, which form part of the Northern, Central and Southern Khoesan respectively. Although previous studies have been conducted on these languages, no study has been done to date involving a detailed comparison of the structures in these languages. Thus, not much has been done in the area of syntax; particularly syntactical comparison. Previous studies ignored comparisons of grammatical categories and structures such as noun class markers, plural formation markers, tense and aspect markers and verbal extensions. This dissertation consists of six chapters. Chapter 1 covers the language situation in Botswana. Chapter 2 is devoted to the literature review. Chapter 3 deals with the linguistic features found in the three languages. Chapter 4 covers the methodology and the theoretical framework adopted in the dissertation. The theoretical framework is eclectic in nature, in other words, the study is largely descriptive. However, on occasion, some aspects of lexical functional grammar (LFG) are used. This theoretical framework is appealing as it best handles important aspects of the languages under consideration, particularly the verb extensions. Chapter 5 describes the noun class system, highlighting the markers found in different noun classes. It also covers tense and aspect markers as well as the verbal extensions found in the three languages. Specifically, it is argued in this chapter that plural formation occurs in three ways; regular plurals, irregular plurals and neutral plurals. The study reveals a close relationship between tense and aspect and the motion of the events, points of reference and moment of speech encoded in the verbs involved. Adverbials can co-occur with the relevant tenses. Lastly, it is shown that verbal extensions do not just combine freely; they are subject to different kinds of sequential constraints. Chapter 6 summarizes the main findings, highlighting the similarities and differences in the three languages. Naro is SOV while Ju/'hoansi and !Xóõ are SVO. Chapter 6 also indicates areas in these Khoesan Languages requiring further research. / African Languages / D. Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)