John Benjamins Publishing Company
Main event line structure and aspect in Sandawe narratives
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Helen Eaton
Abstract
Sandawe (isolate, Tanzania) does not have a specific verb form which fulfils the function of advancing the main event line in a narrative, nor does it have a set of dedicated aspect morphemes. Despite this, the language makes use of aspect distinctions in structuring the main event line, both by signalling whether information should be interpreted as part of the main event line and by providing a temporal organisation of this information. With respect to this latter function, the distinction between perfective and imperfective aspect, which is achieved by various grammatical and lexical means, is utilised to indicate whether events are to be understood as chronologically sequential, simultaneous or overlapping.
Abstract
Sandawe (isolate, Tanzania) does not have a specific verb form which fulfils the function of advancing the main event line in a narrative, nor does it have a set of dedicated aspect morphemes. Despite this, the language makes use of aspect distinctions in structuring the main event line, both by signalling whether information should be interpreted as part of the main event line and by providing a temporal organisation of this information. With respect to this latter function, the distinction between perfective and imperfective aspect, which is achieved by various grammatical and lexical means, is utilised to indicate whether events are to be understood as chronologically sequential, simultaneous or overlapping.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Discourse structuring and typology 1
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Nilo-Saharan
- Aspect and thematic clause combining in Maa (Nilotic) 23
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Isolate
- Main event line structure and aspect in Sandawe narratives 53
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Afro-Asiatic
- The functions of Non-Final verbs and their aspectual categories in Northern Mao (Omotic) narrative 81
- Aspect-Mood and discourse in Kabyle (Berber) spoken narratives 117
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Niger-Congo
- The roles of Dissociative and (Non-)Completive morphology in structuring Totela (Bantu) narratives 145
- Narrative uses of the U̱t-Ma'in (Kainji) Bare Verb form 219
- Rethinking narrative tenses based on data from Nalu (Atlantic) and Yeyi (Bantu) 177
- The Factative and the Perfective-Inchoative in Cuurammã (Turka, Gur) 249
- Aspectual and storyline tension in Emai’s (Edoid) narrative template 287
- Topic Index 315
- Language Index 321
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Discourse structuring and typology 1
-
Nilo-Saharan
- Aspect and thematic clause combining in Maa (Nilotic) 23
-
Isolate
- Main event line structure and aspect in Sandawe narratives 53
-
Afro-Asiatic
- The functions of Non-Final verbs and their aspectual categories in Northern Mao (Omotic) narrative 81
- Aspect-Mood and discourse in Kabyle (Berber) spoken narratives 117
-
Niger-Congo
- The roles of Dissociative and (Non-)Completive morphology in structuring Totela (Bantu) narratives 145
- Narrative uses of the U̱t-Ma'in (Kainji) Bare Verb form 219
- Rethinking narrative tenses based on data from Nalu (Atlantic) and Yeyi (Bantu) 177
- The Factative and the Perfective-Inchoative in Cuurammã (Turka, Gur) 249
- Aspectual and storyline tension in Emai’s (Edoid) narrative template 287
- Topic Index 315
- Language Index 321
