Marianna Visser

The syntax of the infinitive in Xhosa

The syntax of the infinitive in Xhosa. The syntax of the infinitive in Xhosa is explored. The general framework which is assumed is the version of transformational generative grammar known as the theory of Government and Binding. The central issue addressed relates to the nature of the infinitive, taking into account the fact that it exemplifies both verbal and nominal properties. On the grounds of various arguments, it is proposed that a threefold categorial distinction be made with respect to the infinitive. In particular, the infinitive may occur as one of the following categorial types: (i) clausal S complement, (ii) NP with an internal clausal structure and (iii) NP lacking an internal clausal structure.

Definiteness and specificity in the isiXhosa determiner phrase

The article investigates questions relating to the morphosyntactic realization of (in)definiteness and (non-) specificity in isiXhosa. The interaction of syntax, semantics and pragmatics is explored in establishing the interpretation of noun phrases as regards (in)definiteness and (non-)specificity in isiXhosa, with particular attention to the object noun phrase. Properties of the noun phrase interpretation relating to the correlation between the (non-)occurrence of an object agreement prefix in the verb morphology and the preprefix of the object noun is invoked as evidence for the view that the noun class preprefix is an instantiation of the functional category Determiner. (In)definiteness and (non-)specificity readings of noun phrases containing nominal modifiers that are inherently neutral as regards (in)definiteness, namely the adjective, nominal relative and clausal relative, are invoked to argue for the syntactic status of the morpheme a-, which occurs in the inflectional morphology of these modifiers, as a determiner category heading a Determiner Phrase (DP).

Cliticization and Case theory in Xhosa

This article examines cliticization in Xhosa within the framework of the government-binding theory (henceforth GB theory) of transformational generative grammmar. In particular, the assumption is explored that the possibility for a clitic to occur in Xhosa verbal morphology can be explained in terms of one (or more) of the subsystems of principles of the GB theory. The principles that are considered in this regard are government theory, θ-theory (i.e. the theory of thematic roles) and Case theory. Firstly it is shown that government is not a sufficient condition, although a necessary one, to explain cliticization in Xhosa. Also, θ-theory, though a necessary condition for cliticization, like government, cannot provide an explanation for some instances where cliticization is disallowed. Finally, it is argued that the conditions for cliticization in Xhosa can be made explicit by invoking Case theory. S. Afr. J. Afr. Lang. 1986, 6: 129–137

Aspects of empty categories in Xhosa within the theory of Government andBinding

The main purpose of this paper is to explore various agreement phenomena in Xhosa within the government-binding (GB) framework of generative grammar. The principles of the null subject parameter postulated in (Chomsky 1981), which accounts for the absence of an overt subject in phonetic representation, are shown to extend to the analysis of agreement phenomena in J.nosa which are characteristic of Bantu languages in general. In the proposed analyses the empty pronominal nonanaphor (pro) plays a crucial role. In particular it is argued that, apart from occurring as subject and object., pro can appear as the head of an NP, and as the complement of prepositions, the possessive morpheme ~, and the copulative.

The category DP in Xhosa and Northern Sotho

This article investigates the morphosyntactic realisation of definiteness in Xhosa and Northern Sotho, representative of African languages, characterised respectively by the presence and absence of a noun class preprefix (i.e. initial vowel). The Minimalist theory (Chomsky, 1995) is employed as theoretical framework for the study. It is argued that definiteness in these African languages is realised morphosyntactically by the definite morpheme (l)a- which typically occurs as stem of the demonstrative, and which also appears in the inflectional morphology of nominal modifiers such as the adjective, nominal relative and verbal (clausal) relative. It is proposed that the definite morpheme -a- is a functional category Det(erminer) that heads argument Determiner phrases (DPs) dominating an NP. Evidence for this view is invoked from a range of definiteness phenomena in Xhosa, where the absence of the noun preprefix correlates with the non-occurrence of the definite morpheme -a- in the inflectional morphology of nominal modifiers, and from phenomena relating to the omissibility of the complementiser in relative clause constructions in Northern Sotho.

The mosaic evolution of Left Dislocation in Xhosa

This paper demonstrates that the status of Clitic LD in Xhosa is a result of the mosaic evolution of Xhosa grammar. It emerges as an accumulation and combination of two more individual, distinct and, at least, initially separated developments and characteristics – LD sensu stricto and Object Agreement. This view enables the authors to propose a possible solution to the problem of whether the Clitic LD structure in Xhosa (and Nguni) is an instantiation of LD (and its prototypical function as posited by Westbury (2014)) or fronting (and its topical and focal functions). The Clitic LD structure is employed to accomplish the two tasks. The former is derived from the original LD construction, while the latter arose due to the Object Agreement cycle. The mosaic character of LD in Xhosa, in turn, demonstrates the situatedness of LD. LD is determined not only by its own evolutionary baggage (the source from which it has developed) but also by the dynamics of the environment in which it has been embedded (the properties of other constructions).

The thematic structure of event nominals in Xhosa

The syntactic realization of the argument structure of deverbal event nominais in Xhosa and Venda are investigated and compared in this paper. The argument structure of deverbal event nominais in Xhosa and Venda is generally realized in genitive structures, hence the term thematic genitives is often used to refer to these constructions. It is demonstrated that Xhosa and Venda, representing different language groups within the African languages of South Africa, exhibit certain cross-language similarities and differences as regards the syntactic projection of the argument structure of event nominais. It is further demonstrated that the genitive NPs exhibit ambiguity in thematic interpretation and that the omissibility of the genitive morpheme -a- in thematic genitive constructions pose particular theoretical questions as regards Case assignments to such nouns.

Cognate objects of weather verbs in African languages of South Africa – from synchronic variation to a grammaticalization path

The authors argue that the synchronic variation of cognate objects of weather verbs exhibited in six African languages of South Africa (Sepedi, Sesotho, Tshivenda, isiXhosa, Xitsonga, and isiZulu) has a diachronic explanation, and may be represented as a grammaticalization path. This path gradually leads from prototypical cognate objects that disallow object agreement (pronominalization) and promotion to subjects in passive constructions to prototypical objects where both agreement (pronominalization) and promotion are grammatical. This provides further support for the modelling of cognate objects, adjuncts and arguments in terms of a continuum and for a gradient view of syntactic categories, in general.

‘Subjectivity’ in newspaper reports on ‘controversial’ and ‘emotional’ debates: An appraisal and controversy analysis

ABSTRACT The notion of ‘subjectivity’ in news reports has been widely researched, especially from the media perspective. However, ‘subjectivity’ is realised in various forms and the varied contexts and theoretical approaches offer new understanding of the notion. This article departs from such media-theoretic perspectives to a discourse-linguistic approach and makes an analysis of ‘controversial’ and ‘emotional’ reports of debates informed by the Appraisal Theory and Controversy Analysis. The focus of the research is on how the Zimbabwean newspapers represent ‘controversial’ and ‘emotional’ debates balancing factuality, impartiality and objectivity. Stories from both independent and state-owned newspapers have been selected on the basis of their ‘controversiality’ and ‘emotionality’. The article concludes that news reporting is directed at aligning and disaligning readers with certain interpersonal meanings. Headlines of newspapers have been argued to be attitudinal or ‘emotionally charged’.

The communicative functions of post-2000 Shona popular songs: A typological analysis

This article proposes a typology of Shona popular songs employing a systemic functional linguistics (SFL) informed genre theory, which distinguishes texts on the basis of their textual patterns and the meanings they intend to convey. The increasing and wide appropriation of songs as communicative media by political parties, groups and individuals has been one of the fascinating phenomena of post-2000 Zimbabwe. Although some studies have been carried out on these songs in the context of popular music, none have attempted a linguistically-grounded analysis of the songs and in particular their classification for easier study. In order to get to grips with the communicative functions of the songs, categorising them according to what they communicate is therefore crucial. Consequently, this article explores the linguistic strategies adopted in the songs in order to establish the linguistic patterns which determine their rhetorical purposes. The communicative purpose of each song will form the criterion for naming it as a distinct sub-genre. Our argument is that the typology is relevant in extending the construction of theories to help understand the fascinating, though complex, correlation between popular songs and society, particularly as it relates to communication.