Comparative tense and aspect in the Mara Bantu languages: towards a linguistic history
Availability:
Not Available Online
Issue Date:
2013-10-25
Degree:
Extent:
Abstract:
Through the elicitation of 91 Swahili sentences and the collection of one oral text, this research compares the TAM systems of several Mara Bantu languages (Tanzania/Kenya) with the aim of finding any shared “individual-identifying” innovations (Nichols 1996) that can either affirm Mara as a coherent genetic linguistic sub-group (Schoenbrun 1990) or point toward a different historical scenario. A secondary goal is to provide a preliminary linguistic description of the TAM systems of five Mara languages: Ikizu (JE402, [ikz]), Ikoma (JE45, [ntk]), Kabwa (JE405, [cwa]), Simbiti (JE431, [ssc]), and Zanaki (JE44, [zak]).
The research concludes that there is sufficient “individual-identifying” evidence from TAM systems to validate both a North Mara and a South Mara subgroup (Schoenbrun 1990). There is not, on the other hand, a sufficient base of shared “individual-identifying” innovations to propose a unique proto-Mara TAM system uniting North Mara and South Mara at a post-proto-Great Lakes phase of development.
Publication Status:
Preprint
Table of Contents:
Abstract --
Acknowledgements --
List of Figures --
List of Tables --
Abbreviations --
Table of Contents --
1. Introduction --
2 Philosophy and Methodology --
3 Tense --
4 Aspect --
5 Other categories: Modality, Focus, Negation, and Relative Clauses --
6 Implications for Sub-grouping and Reconstruction --
7 Conclusion
Country:
Tanzania
Subject Languages:
Content Language:
Field:
Work Type:
Subject:
Nature of Work:
Entry Number:
55388