Conjoined subjects and verbal agreement resolution in Akebu

Abstract

The paper deals with conjoined subjects and verbal agreement resolution in Akebu and contributes to the typology of noun phrase coordination and agreement resolution in Niger-Congo. Akebu demonstrates both inclusory and compositional coordination with pronominal conjuncts, the former being typical for animate conjuncts, the latter being obligatory for inanimate conjuncts. Semantic person agreement resolution of the verb is possible, and semantic noun class agreement resolution is obligatory with animate conjoined 3rd person subjects, while inanimate conjoined 3rd person subjects trigger syntactic or mixed agreement resolution.