Main Verb-Markers in Northern Gurage

Abstract

Opening ParagraphThe Northern Gurage subgroup of Ethiopian Semitic consists of three languages, Soddo (also known as Aymälläl), Gogot (or Dobbi), and Muxǝr. Grouping these languages together is contrary to the general classification of Gurage hitherto adopted, which puts Soddo as the unique representative of Northern Gurage, and Masqan, Gogot and Muxǝr as a special branch of Western Gurage. We disagree with this classification, propose a new one with three Northern Gurage languages, and dissociate Mäsqan from Gogot by putting it as the easternmost representative of Western Gurage, the only one of its type. It is considered that the phenomenon to be dealt with—a common feature of Soddo, Gogot, and Muxǝr, and of these three only—is enough to justify this new classification, though there is other evidence.

The shape of a rule and diachrony

“…Goldenberg (1968 expressed scepticism about this hypothesis. Since the present study concentrates on a theoretical issue, I will not repeat here the arguments already presented in Hetzron, 1968, in favour of the diachronic relation between (1) and (8).…”

“…Therefore, these three can be called ' Northern Gurage ' languages, not a genetic, but a typological unit (Hetzron, 1968, 156-7). The main verb marking system of the three Northern Gurage languages is amazingly similar (for a detailed description, see Hetzron, 1968), the only important difference being the use of -it in Muher where Soddo and Goggot have -n. The distribution of the MVM allomorphs in Goggot is presented below in (8). With the exception of a sg.…”

“…It suggests an historical relationship between the two. A proposal to this effect was first made by Leslau (1953, 165), taken up in a special article in Leslau, 1967, and further expanded, with many details worked out, in Hetzron, 1968. Goldenberg (1968 expressed scepticism about this hypothesis.…”