Browsing by Author "Nchimbi, Fokas Alois"

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    Locative expressions in Samatengo.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2004) Nchimbi, Fokas Alois
    This study is relatively, an early attempt to describe Samatengo which is one of the Bantu languages spoken in southern part of Tanzania. It describes locative expressions in Samatengo and attempts to deal with various linguistic issues that are closely related to locative expressions in the language. The study identifies eighteen noun classes and it examines formation of locative expressions and their syntactic position in sentence structures. In addition to that the study identifies phonological processes involved in forming locatives. These are such as vowel harmony, gliding, and homorganic nasal assimilation. Also, the study points out that locative expressions can assume the function of being the subject of a sentence or a prepositional object. Fourthly, there are some basic Samatengo syntactic categories that are under the command of a locative expression within a wider context of the system of agreement. Locative expression can agree with verbs, adjectives, possessives, demonstratives, numerals, interrogatives, adjectives modifying place names, and relative pronouns of place. Further, the study discusses the semantics of location, which can show linearity, surface, area, volume, motion, distance, time, ownership, and reference. The study gives peculiar features observed in Samatengo. For example, prefixation is the only means of forming locative nouns in Samatengo. Also, it is shown that in Samatengo Proto Bantu locative prefixes *pa-, *ku-, and *mu- are attached to ordinary nouns in order to form locative nouns.