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Nominal inflectional categories of Tshivenda

Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study explores the four nominal inflectional categories which are
identified in morphology, i.e. case, noun class, agreement and number in
Tshiven~a. This study also examines Determiner Phrase, enclitics and
definiteness with regard to Tshivenc1a noun phrases.
Chapter one is the introduction of this study. It states the aim of the study
which is, firstly, to establish whether case, noun class, agreement and
number occur in Tshivencla, and secondly, to examine the form, syntactic
distribution and semantics of these categories in Tshiven~a. This chapter
also gives the morphological assumptions of the model of lexememorpheme
base morphology by Beard (1995) and Aronoff (1994). The
theory of lexical semantics of Pustejovsky (1996) and the Minimalist
program of Chomsky (1995) are also discussed.
Chapter two examines the Determiner Phrase in Tshiven~a. It
concentrates on the structure of the OP in Tshivenda. Attention has been 41\
given to the functional categories within the OP such as DET and Agr as
well as the various nominal modifiers within the OP.
Chapter three explores Case in Tshiven~a. In Tshiven9_a there are seven
cases, i.e. nominative, accusative, instrumental, locative, genitive, dative
and vocative. This chapter concentrates on the assignment of these cases
and their grammatical functions.
Chapter four explores the noun class in Tshivenda. It examines the form 1\
and the contribution of the meaning of the noun class prefixes. The
morphological structure of the Tshivenda noun is taken as the framework 1\
for this analysis. It has been found that Tshivend,a.. has seventeen noun classes which are still active in this language. These noun class prefixes
have 24 different semantic features which contribute to the meaning of the
noun.
Chapter five discusses agreement and number in Tshivenda. In the case
A.
of agreement it has been found that it is both dependent and independent
of noun class. Subjectival and objectival agreement appear as two
functional categories within the inflection phrase. Specific attention has
also been given to existential agreement, sentential pronouns, the infinitive
as well as problems with agreement with coordinated NPs. Certain cases
have also been highlighted where no agreement appears. Lastly, it has
been shown that number is not an inflectional category in Tshivenda, but it A
is a semantic category.
Chapter six is concemed with definiteness in the interpretation of the noun
in Tshivenda. In the first place, it has been shown in which cases a noun
1\
phrase may be interpreted as definite or indefinite. Secondly, the
contribution of the nominal modifiers with regard to the definiteness of the
noun phrase has been investigated. Lastly, it has been shown that proper
names have to be interpreted as definite.
Chapter seven investigated the three enclitics in Tshivenda, i.e. de, shu
'" A
and vho. Their meaning and distribution have been explored with regard to
their presence on nouns, nominal modifiers and verbs. The distribution of
these three enclitics is dependent on their meaning. The enclitic de which A
refers to quantifiers may not appear on verbs. Enclitics which are
interrogative in nature such as d,..e and shu may not appear with
interrogative nominal modifiers. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die vier nominale infleksie kategorieë wat in die
morfologie geïdentifiseer is nl. naamval, naamwoordklas,
klasooreenstemming en getal in Tshivenqa. Hierdie studie gee ook aandag
aan Bepalersfrase, enklitieke en bepaaldheid m.b.t. die Tshiven2a
naamwoordgroepe.
Hoofstuk een is die inleiding tot die studie. Dit gee die doelstellings van
die studie: eerstens moet vasgestel word of naamval, naamwoordklas,
klasooreenstemming en getal in Tshivenda voorkom, en tweedens moet die A
vorm, sintaktiese distribusie en semantiek van hierdie kategorieë in
Tshivenda bepaal word. Hierdie hoofstuk gee ook aandag aan die A
morfologiese aannames van die lekseem-morfeem morfologie van Beard
(1995) en Aronoff (1994). Die teorie van leksikale semantiek van
Pustejovsky (1996) word ook bespreek sowel as die Minimalistiese
program in sintaksis van Chomsky (1995).
Hoofstuk twee ondersoek die Bepalersfrase in Tshivenda. Dit konsentreer A
veralop die struktuur van die Bepalersfrase in Tshivenda. Aandag is veral
A
gegee aan die funksionele kategorieë binne die Bepalersfrase soos die
bepaler en klasooreenstemming asook die verskillende nominale bepalers
in die Bepalersfrase.
Hoofstuk drie handeloor die naamval in Tshivenda. Sewe naamvalle is in A
Tshivend,.a. onderskei nl. nominatief, akkusatief, instrument, lokatief,
genitief, datief en vokatief. Hierdie hoofstuk konsentreer op die toekenning
van hierdie naamvalle en hulle grammatikale funksies. Hoofstuk vier ondersoek die naamwoordklas in Tshivend,a.. Dit gee veral
aandag aan die vorm van die naamwoordprefikse sowel as die bydrae van
hierdie prefikse tot die betekenis van die naamwoord in Tshivenda. Hierdie '" analise is gedoen binne 'n raamwerk van die morfologiese struktuur van die
naamwoord. Daar is gevind dat Tshivend,a. nog sewentien
naamwoordklasse het wat aktief in die taal is. Daarby kon 24 verskillende
betekeniskenmerke van hierdie naamwoordprefikse bepaal word.
Hoofstuk vyf bespreek klasooreenstemming en getal in Tshivenda. In die
A
geval van klasooreenstemming is gevind dat dit beide afhanklik en
onafhanklik van naamwoordklas is. Klasooreenstemming ten opsigte van
die onderwerp en voorwerp is twee funksionele kategorieë binne die
infleksiefrase. Verder is spesiale aandag gegee aan eksistensie,
sinsvoomaamwoorde, die infinitief sowel as neweskikkende
naamwoordgroepe. Daar is ook gevalle aangedui waarin geen
klasooreensteming voorkom. Getal is 'n semantiese kategorie in Tshivenda " maar nie' infleksie kategorie nie.
Hoofstuk ses handeloor bepaaldheid ten opsigte van die interpretasie van
die naamwoord in Tshivend,a.. In die eerste plek is aangedui in welke
gevalle naamwoordgroepe bepaald of onbepaald geïnterpreteer kan word,
en tweedens is aandag gegee aan die bydrae van nominale bepalers ten
opsigte van die bepaaldheid van die naamwoordgroep. Laastens is gewys
op die voorkoms van bepaaldheid by eiename.
Hoofstuk sewe het die drie enklitieke in Tshivenda ondersoek nl. de, shu ,. J\
en vho. Hul betekenis en distribusie is nagegaan ten opsigte van hul
voorkoms by naamwoorde, nominale bepalers asook werkwoorde. Die
distribusie van hierdie drie enklitieke is duidelik afhanklik van hul betekenis. So kan de wat verwys na kwantifiseerders bv. nie saam met werkwoorde
optree n"ie. Enklitieke wat interprogatief van aard is soos d,..e en shu kan
ook dus nie saam met interrogatiewe nominale bepalers voorkom nie.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52961
Date12 1900
CreatorsNekhumbe, Mudivhani Gilbert
ContributorsVisser, M. W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of African Languages.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format450 pages : illustrations
RightsStellenbosch University

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