Variation and Grammaticalisation in Bantu Complex Verbal Constructions: The Dynamics of Information Growth in Swahili, Rangi and SiSwati

Abstract

Many Bantu languages have a system of complex verbal constructions, where several verbal forms combine to describe a single event. Typically, these consist of an auxiliary and a main verb, and often tense-aspect marking and subject agreement is found on both forms. In this paper we develop a parsing-based, Dynamic Syntax analysis of complex verbal constructions in three Bantu languages -Swahili, Rangi and siSwati -and show how concepts of structural underspecification, accumulation of information and contextual update can be harnessed to explain the use of several verbal forms for the building of one semantic structure. At the heart of the analysis is the idea that structure established early in the parse can be 're-built' from subsequent lexical input as long as incrementality and information growth are respected. This correctly predicts the accumulation of tense-aspect information and the fact that multiple subject markers have to be interpreted identically, while maintaining a uniform pronominal analysis of Bantu subject markers. From a comparative perspective, we show that complex verbal constructions result from processes of grammaticalisation, and, especially with reference to the extensive auxiliary system of siSwati, we sketch different processes of lexical change underlying the stages of the grammaticalisation process.

Aspectual Auxiliary Verbs in Xitsonga

“…In Xitsonga, aspects such as perfect, progressive and persistive are also marked on the AA verb, different from the language reported in Gibson and Marten (2015), in which aspect markers appear on the lexical verb.…”

“…The meaning of these AA verbs often corresponds to aspectual, temporal or modal adverbs in English. The semantic characterisation of these verbs are based on Gibson and Marten (2015). AA verbs may have a separate use as a lexical verb as shown in the last column of (7).…”

“…Gibson and Marten (2015) report that AA verbs inflect for temporal information in Swahili (2a), while lexical verbs may express aspectual information in Rangi (2b). In addition, double subject markers can be obligatory (Swahili and Rangi) or optional (siSwati).…”

“…(2) Complex verbal constructions in other Bantu languages (Gibson and Marten 2015) a. Swahili a-li-kuwa a-ki-sema-a 3SG-PST-be 3SG-SITU-say-FV 'S/he was saying' b.…”

The Bantu-Romance-Greek connection revisited: Processing constraints in auxiliary and clitic placement from a cross-linguistic perspective

“…If the second verb is in a finite form, tense is typically marked on the auxiliary whilst aspect is marked on the main verb. Across the Bantu languages, different grammaticalisation processes have resulted in variation in complex verb forms with respect to the subject-marking properties, the expression of tense-aspect-mood information and constituent order (Gibson and Marten 2016).…”