Break and bend verbs in Sesotho

Date
2001-03
Authors
Phindane, Pule Alexis
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The break and bend verbs in Sesotho are investigated with a view to account for the unique properties of these verbs. The study gives a full account of the predicate argument structure of break and bend verbs. In Sesotho we have three types of predicates, namely, one-place, two-place and three-place predicates. The study also focuses on the number of arguments these verbs may assign. Some of these verbs are intransitive and therefore they assign one argument, which is an external argument. Other verbs are transitive and as such they assign more than one argument (i.e. external and internal arguments). These verbs are investigated as to whether they would select certain arguments to appear with them and it was found that when they do, they also select semantic features which these arguments must have in order to appear with such verbs. These verbs are also examined with the view to account for their difference. It was found that certain bend verbs show the same syntactic properties as the break verbs, except those bend verbs name reverse actions. Another observation was that not all break and bend verbs have zero-related nominaIs. When they do, the nominals describe the result of the action named by the verb. The study investigate these verbs as to whether they would allow cognate objects, verbal alternations and derived verbs (in the case of bend verbs), and it was found that some of them would allow such lexical items.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die breek en buig werkwoorde in Sesotho is ondersoek met die doel om die unieke kenmerke van hierdie werkwoorde te bepaal. Die studie verskaf 'n beskrywing van die predikaat argumentstruktuur van breek en buig werkwoorde in Sesotho. Ons het drie tipes predikate, te wete eenplek, tweeplek en drieplek predikate. Die studie fokus ook op die aantal argumente wat hierdie werkwoorde kan toeken. Sommige van hierdie werkwoorde is onoorganklik, derhalwe ken hulle een argument toe wat ekstern is. Ander werkwoorde is oorganklik, sodat meer as een argument, te wete ekstern en intern, toegeken word. Daar is ook ondersoek of hierdie werkwoorde argumente kan selekteer om met hulle te verskyn, en dit is bevind dat as hulle dit doen, hulle ook die semantiese kenmerk selekteer wat hierdie argumente moet he as hulle saam met daardie werkwoorde verskyn. Hierdie werkwoorde is ondersoek met die doel om hul verskil te bepaal. Daar is bevind dat sommige buig werkwoorde dieselfde sintaktiese eienskappe het as die breek werkwoorde, behalwe dat buig werkwoorde ook reversiet is. 'n Verdere kenmerk is dat nie alle breek en buig werkwoorde voorkom met nul-verwante nominaIe. As hulle dit doen, beskryf die nominale die uitslag van die handeling in die werkwoord. Daar is ondersoek of kognitiewe voorwerpe, werkwoord alternasies en afgeleide werkwoorde toegelaat kan word, en daar is bevind dat sommiges dit toelaat.
Description
Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001.
Keywords
Sotho language -- Verb, Grammar, Comparative and general -- Verb, Dissertations -- Southern Sotho language, Theses -- Southern Sotho language
Citation