Impersonal constructions in Jóola-Banjal

Jóola-Banjal (an Atlantic language spoken in Senegal) has several constructions, not mentioned in previous works on Jóola languages, which include no canonical subject. This paper puts forward a formal classification of these constructions and a description of their functions, emphasizing the contribution of this West African language to the general typology of impersonality. Most of the types of impersonal constructions found in Jóola-Banjal have already been identified in other languages, but there also several points on which Jóola-Banjal shows interesting particularities. Keywords: impersonal constructions; Atlantic languages; Jóola

Published online: 20 July 2011
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.124.10bas