Jasper De Kind

Event-centrality and the pragmatics-semantics interface in Kikongo: From predication focus to progressive aspect and vice versa

Abstract Across Bantu, several polysemic markers expressing progressive aspect and so-called predication focus have been reported (Güldemann 2003; Hyman and Watters 1984). In this article, we examine two such markers in Kikongo (Bantu, H16), i.e. the fronted-infinitive and the locative-infinitive constructions. We provide an in-depth synchronic description of the pragmatic and syntactic behaviour of both verbal constructions and suggest a historical evolution for each of them. We evoke the term ‘event-centrality’ to cover the different uses of both constructions and suggest that the fronted-infinitive construction’s progressive meaning evolved from its use as predication focus marker, and vice versa, that the locative-infinitive construction’s predication focus meaning evolved from its use as a progressive marker.

The applicative in ciLubà grammar and discourse: A semantic goal analysis

Abstract This paper focuses on the applicative construction in ciLubà (L31a), a Bantu language from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Applicative constructions usually promote a participant otherwise encoded as a thematically peripheral argument or adjunct to the status of core argument of the verb. The thus promoted participant, that is the ‘applied object’, is most commonly associated with the semantic role of beneficiary. However, this widespread meaning is not necessarily the core meaning, neither in ciLubà nor in other Bantu languages. In this paper, goal is claimed to be the underlying function of the applicative in ciLubà, as evidenced by double applicative constructions, applicatives in connective constructions and transit or intermediary goal constructions. Not only grammatical evidence points towards goal as the underlying core meaning, but also the informationstructural role the applicative plays in ciLubà locative constructions.