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Part of
Different Slants on Grammaticalization
Edited by Sylvie Hancil and Vittorio Tantucci
[Studies in Language Companion Series 232] 2023
► pp. 74–102

Chapter 3
-maɾa in Mara

On the ongoing grammaticalization(s) of a Bantu ‘finish’ verb

 | University of Helsinki
 | University of Helsinki
 | University of Helsinki
 | University of Helsinki
This study accounts for the grammaticalization of the verb -maɾa ‘finish’ in the language varieties of the Western Serengeti branch of the Mara subgroup of Eastern Bantu. In these varieties, -maɾa is found in two different auxiliary verb constructions marking the two interrelated Phasal Polarity concepts of already and not yet. Whereas ‘finish’ in general and -maɾa cognates in particular are commonly grammaticalized into already in Bantu, the parallel development of a not yet ‑marker from the same source constitutes a much rarer development. Nonetheless, we propose that both constructions developed out of the same need to reinforce a reading of (non-)completion (and counter-factuality) and that they instantiate recurrent cyclic patterns of change significant for Eastern Bantu more broadly.
Keywords: Bantu, Mara, auxiliary, phasal polarity, grammaticalization
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.On Mara: Geography, genealogy and typology
  • 3.On -maɾa: A lexical verb commonly involved in Bantu grammaticalization
  • 4.The two auxiliary verb constructions with -maɾa
    • 4.1Expressing already
    • 4.2Expressing not yet
  • 5.The grammaticalization of the -maɾa AVCs: Semantic and formal diagnostics
    • 5.1ALREADY
      • 5.1.1Relaxation of selectional restrictions and expansion in collocational range
      • 5.1.2Loss of verbal properties and syntactic variability: The case of the locative enclitic
      • 5.1.3Shift in anaphoric referencing
      • 5.1.4Loss of phonological substance: The case of “detrillification”
    • 5.2NOT YET
  • 6.Old forms and cycles of change
    • 6.1The original formal means for expressing already/not yet
    • 6.2Diachronic cycle(s) of phasal polarity
    • 6.3The PhP cycle for -maɾa in Mara
  • 7.Summary and conclusions
  • Notes
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 13 July 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.232.03ber
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