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An analysis of the grammatical structure of small clauses in Afrikaans : a minimalist approach

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main goal of this study is to provide a grammatical analysis of small clauses in Afrikaans. A proper analysis of this phenomenon has not yet been attempted in the literature on Afrikaans syntax. However, within the framework of generative grammar, including the most recent versions of Minimalist Syntax, extensive research has been conducted on the small clause phenomenon for a wide range of other languages. In these studies, various types of small clause constructions have been identified. For the purpose of this study, a systematic analysis is given for seven of these small clause construction types, focusing specifically on the Afrikaans data. In order to establish whether the Afrikaans small clause constructions exhibit the same characteristics as those found in other languages, a taxonomy is given of their Dutch, English, West Flemish and Polish counterparts as described by, among others, Hoekstra (1988a, 1992), Bennis, Corver and Den Dikken (1998), Citko (2008) and Haegeman (2010). It is against this background that the characteristics of the different Afrikaans small clause constructions are described. In addition, an explication is given of the various proposals regarding the underlying structure of such constructions. Based on proposals by Oosthuizen (2013), it is argued that a small clause construction is a projection of a particular functional category, namely a defective light verb, sc-v. It is claimed that such a light verb analysis can provide an adequate account of the Afrikaans facts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoofoogmerk van hierdie studie is om ’n grammatikale analise van beknopte sinne (“small clauses”) in Afrikaans te verskaf. ʼn Behoorlike analise van hierdie verskynsel is nog nie tevore aangebied in die literatuur oor Afrikaanse sintaksis nie. Binne die raamwerk van generatiewe grammatika, insluitend die mees onlangse versies van Minimalistiese Sintaksis, is daar egter uitgebreide navorsing gedoen oor die verskynsel van beknopte sinne in ʼn verskeidenheid ander tale. In die betrokke studies is verskeie tipes beknopte sin-konstruksies geïdentifiseer. Vir die doel van hierdie studie word ’n sistematiese analise gegee van sewe van hierdie konstruksie-tipes, met spesifieke fokus op die Afrikaanse data. Ten einde vas te stel of die Afrikaanse beknopte sin-konstruksies dieselfde eienskappe toon as dié in ander tale, word ’n taksonomie verskaf van die ooreenstemmende konstruksies in Nederlands, Engels, Wes-Vlaams en Pools, soos beskryf deur onder meer Hoekstra (1988a, 1992), Bennis, Corver en Den Dikken (1998), Citko (2008) en Haegeman (2010). Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond dat die eienskappe van die verskillende Afrikaanse beknopte sin-konstruksies beskryf word. Verder word ʼn uiteensetting gegee van verskeie voorstelle oor die onderliggende struktuur van sulke konstruksies. Gebaseer op voorstelle deur Oosthuizen (2013), word daar geargumenteer dat ’n beknopte sin-konstruksie ’n projeksie is van ’n spesifieke funksionele kategorie, naamlik ’n defektiewe ligte werkwoord, sc-v. Daar word aangevoer dat so ’n ligte werkwoord-analise ’n toereikende verklaring kan bied van die Afrikaanse feite.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/95928
Date12 1900
CreatorsBackhouse, Rene
ContributorsOosthuizen, Johan, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format136 p. : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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