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A semantic and syntactic analysis of break and bend verbs in Zulu

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The subject of this study is Break and Bend verbs in isiZulu, which can be classified as
verbs of change of state. This study examines the semantic as well as the syntactic
analysis of these verbs of change of state in Zulu. Semantically Bend verbs are divided
into verbs denoting the bending of body parts, e.g: thoba, khothema, qomfa, bhena,
guqa, vosho, and verbs that denote the bending of body parts as well as physical
objects, e.g. goba, qethuka/qethula as shown in the sentences below:
Indoda igobe ucingo
The man bent the wire.
Indoda ithe qethu ikhanda
The man bent the head backwards.
Inkosikazi igobe amadolo
The woman bent the knees.
Uthe qethu isigxobo
He made the pole bend backwards.
The study will demonstrate that Break verbs are semantically divided into verbs denoting
break or fracture, e.g. aphula/aphuka; those denoting "break off" e.g.
nqamuka/nqamula; a verb denoting "to smash", e.g. fahlaza/fahlaka; those denoting
" crack", e.g. chachamba, verbs meaning "to tear", e.g. dabula/dabuka; verbs
denoting "to demolish", e.g. bhidliza/bhidlika and verbs denoting "to break open", e.g.
havuka I havula.
Syntactically, Break predicates may occur as ideophones, which are ergative with
transitive/intransitive alternation, e.g. aphulaj aphuka, In addition, Break predicates may
consist of ideophones with verbal suffixes:
[-k-] is the suffix of intransitive ideophone
[-I-] or [-z-] is the suffix of transitive ideophone
Intransitive ideophone: Intambo ithe nqamu
The rope broke
Intransitive verb with [-k-]: Intambo inqamukile
The rope broke
Transitive ideophone: Indoda ithe nqamu intambo
The man broke the rope
Transitive verb with [-1-]: Indoda inqamule intambo.
The man broke a rope
Transitive verb with [-z-]: Indoda iphoqoze intambo.
The man broke a bone
The study demonstrates that with Bend verbs there are two ergative verbs, namely thoba
and goba.
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The study further demonstrates that Bend verbs are mostly intransitive with a shadow
argument; there is an ideophone qethu, which takes the transitive / intransitive
alternation with the suffix [-k-] for the intransitive and [-1-] for the transitive alternation,
respectively.
The study provides evidence that Break and Bend verbs are characterised by specific
selection restrictions as well as event structures. Some alternations were also investigated
in the study, such as the Possessive alternation and Instrument-Subject alternation.
Lastly, the Lexical conceptual paradigm and the Lexical Inheritance Structure of each verb
were examined. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderwerp van hierdie studie is Breek en Buig werkwoorde in isiZulu, wat
geklassifiseerword as werkwoorde van toestandverandering. Hierdie studie ondersoek die
semantiese en die sintaktiese analise van die werkwoordtipe van toestandverandering in
isizulu. Buigwerkwoorde word semanties ingedeel in werkwoorde wat die buig van
liggaamsdeleaandui, byvoorbeeld: thoba, khothema, qomfa, bhena, guqa, vosho, en
werkwoorde wat die buig van liggaamsdele sowel as die fisiese objekte aandui,
byvoorbeeld: goba, qethuka/qethula, soos aangedui word in die sinne hieronder:
Indoda igobe ucingo
Die man het die draad gebuig
Indoda ithe qethu ikhanda
Die man het sy kop agteroor gebuig
Inkosikazi igobe amadolo
Die vrou het (haar) knieƫ gebuig
Uthe qethu isigxobo
Hy het die paal agtertoe gebuig.
Hierdie studie toon aan dat Breek-werkwoorde semanties ingedeel kan word in
werkwoorde wat "breek" aandui, bv. aphula/aphuka: werkwoorde wat "afbreek" aandui,
bv. nqamuka/nqamula; werkwoorde wat "flenters breek" aandui, bv.
fahlaza/fahlaka; werkwoorde wat "bars" aandui, bv. chachamba, werkwoorde wat
"skeur" aandui, bv. dabula/dabuka; werkwoorde wat "ruineer" aandui, bv.
bhidliza/bhidlika en werkwoorde wat "oopbreek" aandui, bv. havuka/havula.
Breek-predikate kan sintakties as ideofone verskyn, wat ergatief (ergative) is met 'n
transitief/intransitief alternasie, bv.. aphula/aphuka. Voorts kan Breek-predikate ook
verskyn as ideofone met werkwoordagtervoegsels:
[-k-] is die suffiks van die intransitiewe ideofoon
[-1-] of [-z-] is die suffiks van die transitiewe ideofoon
Intransitiewe ideofoon: Intambo ithe nqamu
Die tou het gebreek
Intransitiewe werkwoord met [-k-]: Intambo inqamukile
Die tou het gebreek
Transitiewe ideofoon: Indoda ithe nqamu intambo
Die man het die tou gebreek
Transitiewe werkwoord met [-1-]: Indoda inqamule intambo.
Die man het die tou gebreek
Transitiewe werkwoord met l-e-l: Indoda iphoqoze umlenze
Die man het die been gebreek
Die studie toon aan dat met Buigwerkwoorde, twee ergatiewe werkwoorde gevind is,
naamlik thoba en goba.
Die studie toon ook aan dat Buigwerkwoorde meestal intransitiewe werkwoorde is wat met
'n skadu-argument verskyn. Daar is 'n ideofoon qethu, wat die transitief/intransitief
alternasie vertoon met die suffiks [-k-] vir die intransitief en [-I-] vir die transitief
alternasie, respektiewelik
Die studie bied bewys daarvoor dat Breek- en Buigwerkwoorde gekenmerk word deur
seleksiebeperkings en gebeure ('event') strukture. Sommige alternasies is ook ondersoek
in die studie, byvoorbeeld die Possessief alternasie en Instrument-Subjek alternasie.
Laastens, is die leksikaal-konseptuele paradigma en die Leksikale-erwingstruktuur van elke
werkwoord ondersoek.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52131
Date04 1900
CreatorsMalinga, Bongiwe Bernadette
ContributorsDu Plessis, J. A., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of African Languages.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format188 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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