The Bantu connective construction
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Mark L.O. Van de Velde
Abstract
The Bantu equivalent of a genitive construction, a construction in which a nominal constituent modifies another one, is part of a family of constructions commonly called the connective construction. This paper analyses the family of Bantu connective constructions from a perspective inspired by canonical typology. I first define a canonical type and subsequently discuss departures from this type along five dimensions. The resulting picture shows a functionally extremely versatile construction type in a grammatical space that lacks clear-cut boundaries between genitives, adjectives and relative clauses. Connective constructions are a frequent source of lexicalisation, and of grammaticalisation patterns that often lead to agreement in unusual places.
Abstract
The Bantu equivalent of a genitive construction, a construction in which a nominal constituent modifies another one, is part of a family of constructions commonly called the connective construction. This paper analyses the family of Bantu connective constructions from a perspective inspired by canonical typology. I first define a canonical type and subsequently discuss departures from this type along five dimensions. The resulting picture shows a functionally extremely versatile construction type in a grammatical space that lacks clear-cut boundaries between genitives, adjectives and relative clauses. Connective constructions are a frequent source of lexicalisation, and of grammaticalisation patterns that often lead to agreement in unusual places.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Genitive case and genitive constructions 1
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Part 1. General surveys
- The genitive case and the possessive construction in Finnish 19
- The Russian genitive within the NP and the VP 55
- Nominal and pronominal possessors in Romanian 105
- De : A genitive marker in French? 141
- The Bantu connective construction 217
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Part 2. Case studies
- Word order restrictions in adnominal constructions 255
- Tracing the origins of the Swedish group genitive 299
- Floating genitives and possessive framing in Northern Akhvakh 333
- Index 355
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
- Genitive case and genitive constructions 1
-
Part 1. General surveys
- The genitive case and the possessive construction in Finnish 19
- The Russian genitive within the NP and the VP 55
- Nominal and pronominal possessors in Romanian 105
- De : A genitive marker in French? 141
- The Bantu connective construction 217
-
Part 2. Case studies
- Word order restrictions in adnominal constructions 255
- Tracing the origins of the Swedish group genitive 299
- Floating genitives and possessive framing in Northern Akhvakh 333
- Index 355
