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    Proto-Bantu existential locational construction(s)

    Authors
    Devos, M.
    Bernander, R.
    Discipline
    Languages and Literature
    Subject
    Culture & Society
    Audience
    Scientific
    Date
    2023
    Publisher
    Language Science Press
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Description
    This chapter proposes a Proto-Bantu reconstruction of existential constructions based on a convenience sample of 180 Bantu languages, which points towards existential locationals (ELs) as a suitable base for comparison. ELs include inverse-locational predications as well as expressions of generic existence. We develop a detailed typology of ELs through a careful examination of the morphosyntactic variation which their building blocks display across Bantu. This typology clearly singles out two types of ELs with high frequencies and Bantu-wide distributions, which are reconstructable to at least node 5 in the phylogenetic tree of the Bantu family of Grollemund et al. (2015). Both display locative subject markers and figure inversion in relation to plain locational constructions. The difference between the main types lies in the selection of the copula: either a locative or a comitative one. North-Western and Central-Western Bantu languages show few reflexes of the suggested reconstructions. Instead, they often have non-inverted ELs which are cross-linguistically uncommon or, less frequently, ELs involving expletive inversion. The non-dedicated EL can be considered a retention of the original structure or a (contact-induced) innovation. Our preference goes to the second hypothesis assuming that a severe reduction of (locative) noun classes and ensuing (locative) agreement triggered a more rigid word order and consequently non-inverted ELs or inverted expletive ELs exempt of locative marking.
    Citation
    Devos, M.; Bernander, R. (2023). Proto-Bantu existential locational construction(s). , On reconstructing Proto-Bantu grammar, 581-666, Language Science Press, DOI: DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7575841.
    Identifiers
    uri: https://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/13177
    doi: http://dx.doi.org/DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7575841
    Type
    Book chapter
    Peer-Review
    Yes
    Language
    eng
    Links
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