A typology of Bantu subject inversion
This study charts variation in subject inversion constructions in Bantu languages. It distinguishes between seven types of inversion constructions: formal locative inversion, semantic locative inversion, instrument inversion, patient inversion, (clausal) complement inversion, default agreement inversion and agreeing inversion. Based on a set of nine surface variables, a matrix of inversion constructions is developed which identifies characteristics of the set of constructions overall as well as of each individual construction type. The distribution of the different inversion constructions is documented with reference to a sample of 46 Bantu languages, from which geographical and typological generalisations are drawn. For example, languages with instrument inversion or with patient inversion always have locative inversion (but not vice versa), or if a language has at least one inversion construction, it always has at least either default agreement inversion or agreeing inversion. Finally, underlying parameters potentially accounting for the variation are discussed, such as the status of preverbal locatives as DP or PP, the agreement parameter and the syntactic and thematic restrictions on the preverbal element.
Keywords: agreement
Published online: 09 March 2015
https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.14.2.04mar
https://doi.org/10.1075/lv.14.2.04mar
References
References
Ariel, Mira
Ashton, Ethel O., E. M. K. Mulira, E.G.M. Ndawula & A. N. Tucker
Baker, Mark
Barrett Keach, Camillia N.
Beaudoin-Lietz, Christa, Derek Nurse & Sarah Rose
Bonfim Duarte, Fábio
Bokamba, Eyamba Georges
Bostoen, Koen & Léon Mundeke
Botne, Robert
Bresnan, Joan & Jonni M. Kanerva
Bresnan, Joan & Sam A. Mchombo
Bresnan, Joan & Lioba Moshi
Buell, Leston
Buell, Leston, Kristina Riedel & Jenneke van der Wal
Buell, Leston & Peter Muriungi
Manuscript. Locatives and locative inversion in Tharaka.
Cann, Ronnie, Ruth Kempson & Eleni Gregoromichelaki
Carstens, Vicki & Loyiso Mletshe
To appear. Implications of Xhosa expletive constructions. Forthcoming in Linguistic Inquiry.
Collins, Chris
Crane, Thera Marie, Larry M. Hyman & Simon Nsielanga Tukumu
Creissels, Denis
2004 Non-canonical applicatives and focalization in Tswana. Paper presented at Syntax of the World’s Languages. Leipzig.
de Kind, Jasper & Koen Bostoen
Demuth, Katherine
Demuth, Katherine & Carolyn Harford
Demuth, Katherine & Mark Johnson
Demuth, Katherine & Melissa Kline
Demuth, Katherine & Sheila Mmusi
Diercks, Michael
Duranti, Alessandro & Ernest R. Byarushengo
Edelsten, Peter & Chiku Lijongwa
Gibson, Hannah
Givón, Talmy
Gowlett, Derek F.
Güldemann, Tom
To appear. Structural Case and the nature of vP in Zulu. Proceedings of NELS 42. Amherst, MA: GLSA.
Hamlaoui, Fatima & Emmanuel-Moselly Makasso
2013 Object left-dislocation, topicalization and the syntax-phonology mapping of intonation phrases in Bàsàa. Presentation at Bantu 5, Paris.
Harford [Perez], Carolyn
Harford, Carolyn
Harford, Carolyn & Katherine Demuth
Hawkinson, Annie & Larry M. Hyman
Henderson, Brent
Hopper, Paul J. & Sandra A. Thompson
Iorio, David. In Progress
Subject and object marking in Bembe. Newcastle: University of Newcastle Ph.D. dissertation.
Kashina, Kashina
Katamba, Francis
Kavari, Jekura, Lutz Marten & Jenneke van der Wal
Kawasha, Boniface
Khumalo, Langa
Kimenyi, Alexandre
Kula, Nancy C. & Lisa Lai-Shen Cheng
Kula, Nancy C. & Lutz Marten
Lambrecht, Knud
Maho, Jouni
Marten, Lutz
2006 Locative inversion in Herero: More on morphosyntactic variation in Bantu. In Laura Downing, Lutz Marten & Sabine Zerbian (eds.), Papers in Bantu grammar and description. ZASPiL 43. 97–122.
2013 Linguistic variation, language contact and the new comparative Bantu. Inaugural Lecture, SOAS, University of London, 18 April 2013.
Marten, Lutz & Hannah Gibson
2013 Passive, locative inversion and subject-object reversal in Bantu: A unified dynamic analysis. Ms. SOAS, University of London.
Marten, Lutz, Nancy C. Kula & Nhlanhla Thwala
Marten, Lutz & Deograsia Ramadhani
Marten, Lutz, Kristina Riedel, Silvester Ron Simango & Jochen Zeller
Meeussen, Achille E.
Mkude, Daniel J.
Möhlig, Wilhelm J. G.
Möhlig, Wilhelm J.G. & Jekura U. Kavari
Möhlig, Wilhelm J. G., Lutz Marten & Jekura U. Kavari
Morimoto, Yukiko
Moshi, Lioba
Mugane, John Muratha
Muriungi, Peter
Ngoboka, Jean Paul & Jochen Zeller
2013 Locative inversion in Kinyarwanda. Paper presented at the SOAS Inversion Workshop, 25 February 2013.
Ngonyani, Deogratias S.
Ngonyani, Deo & Peter Githinji
Nsuka Nkutsi, Francois
Odden, David
Pak, Marjorie
Riedel, Kristina & Lutz Marten
Russell, Joan
Salzmann, Martin
Sasse, Hans-Jürgen
Schadeberg, Thilo C.
Schadeberg, Thilo C. & Francisco U. Mucanheia
Thwala, Nhlanhla
Trithart, Mary Lee
Van der Wal, Jenneke
Submitted. Parameterising case: Other evidence from Bantu.
Van Otterloo, Roger
Visser, Marianna
Voisin, Sylvie
Wald, Benji
Whiteley, Wilfred H. & J. D. Mganga
Woolford, Ellen
Zeller, Jochen
2012 Instrument inversion in Zulu. In Michael R. Marlo, Nikki B. Adams, Christopher R. Green, Michelle Morrison & Tristan M. Purvis (eds.), African languages in context. Selected proceedings of the 42nd Annual Conference on African Linguistics, 134–148. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.
Zerbian, Sabine
Cited by
Cited by other publications
Arkadiev, Peter
Chou, Chao‐Ting Tim
Fominyam, Henry & Radek Šimík
Gibson, Hannah
MARTEN, LUTZ & HANNAH GIBSON
Selvanathan, Nagarajan
van der Wal, Jenneke
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 05 january 2021. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.