Thesis (DLitt)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / Full text to be digitised and attached to bibliographic record. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examines the morpho-syntactic and semantic properties, specifically
tense and aspectual properties, of deficient verbs in Xitsonga. Various properties
of deficient verbs have given rise to a distinction in verbal categories. Among
these a range of features are explored in the study with the aim of establishing
whether they playa significant role in relevant linguistic questions:
The research on the deficient verb involves questions from three theoretical
areas, namely Syntax, Morphology and Semantics.
Deficient verbs in Xitsonga and related African languages are generally
subcategorized for a clausal complement as illustrated in the following example:
[a-hi-hamba [hi-rima laha]]
[We-did-usually [plough here]]
In the above sentence the deficient verb is hamba and it is followed by a
compulsory clause as complement. The main properties of deficient verbs
explored in this study relate to the following phenomena:
• The deficient verb determines the selection of the mood in Inflection of the
clausal complement.
• The clausal complement of a deficient verb must have compulsory agreement
of its subject with the subject of the matrix clause.
• The deficient verbs lack the property which is characteristic of the
autonomous verbs i.e. that they may be extended by derivative affixes such
as the applicative or causative.
• Deficient verbs have distinctive semantic features which are related to two
inflectional categories, i.e. aspect and tense. This study concludes that the deficient verbs may express several meanings,
including meanings related to duration, habitual, frequentative, progressive,
obligative, manner, continuative, concessive and completive. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die sintaktiese en semantiese, in die besonder die
tydvorm- en aspek-eienskappe van hulpwerkwoorde in Xitsonga. 'n
Verskeidenheid kenmerke van hulpwerkwoorde het daartoe aanleiding gegee dat
'n onderskeid getref word ten opsigte van werkwoordkategorieë. Hieronder word
'n verskeidenheid kenmerke ondersoek ten einde vas te stelof dit 'n beduidende
rol speel in relevante linguistiese vrae. Die navorsing van hierdie studie behels
vrae vanuit drie teoretiese velde, naamlik die morfologie, sintaksis, en semantiek.
Hulpwerkwoorde in Xitsonga en verwante Afrikatale word gesubkategoriseer vir
'n sinskomplement, soos geïllustreer in die volgende voorbeeld:
[A-hi-hamba [hi-rima laha]]
[Ons het gewoonlik [ons ploeg hier]], d.i. ons het gewoonlik hier geploeg
In die bogenoemde sin is hamba die hulpwerkwoord en dit word gevolg deur 'n
verpligte sinskomplement. Die sentrale kenmerke van hulpwerkwoorde wat in
hierdie studie ondersoek word hou verband met die volgende verskynsels:
• Die hulpwerkwoord bepaal die seleksie van modus in die Infleksie van die
sinskomplement.
• Die sinskomplement van 'n hulpwerkwoord moet verpligte kongruensie toon
van die subjek daarvan met die subjek van die matriksin.
• Die hulpwerkwoord kort die eienskap wat kenmerkend is van outonome
werkwoorde, naamlik, dat hulle afleidingsuffikse kan neem, soos die
applikatief -el- en die kousatief -is.
• Hulpwerkwoorde het onderskeidende semantiese kenmerke wat verband hou
met twee infleksie kategorieë, nl. aspek en tydvorm. Die studie kon tot die gevolgtrekking dat hulpwerkwoorde 'n verskeidenheid
betekennis kan uitdruk, insluitende betekenisse wat verband hou met tydsduur,
habitueel, frekwentatief, progressief, verpligting, wyse, voortdurendheid,
toegewing en kompletief.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50129 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Nxumalo, Ntiyiso Elijah |
| Contributors | Visser, M. W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of African Languages. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 361 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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