Negation in Kivunjo

This study investigates negation in Kivunjo, a Bantu language spoken in the North Eastern part of Tanzania. Negation has recently constituted a fascinating area of study in Bantu languages because of the varying forms and positions that the negation marker occupies in different languages. A descriptive survey was carried out to determine negation marking in a Kivunjo clause or sentence construction. The study is guided by the theoretical framework of Principles and Parameters of Universal Grammar. In an attempt to meet the objectives of this study, a comparison between affirmative and negative construction was enumerated. The type of negation markers, forms, their distribution and the strategies used in negation were established. The findings show that the negative marker pfo, chi, and -la- are used in marking negation in Kivunjo. These markers are in two categories. The morpheme -la- attached at the post-initial position of the verb template and the second category comprises of particles pfo placed at the clause final position and chi used in focused constructions and in copula negation. This is a contrary to the generalized claims that negation in Bantu language is commonly marked within the slots of the verb template. For further research, this study recommends an inquiry into the existence of assertive and non-assertive forms of verbs in Kivunjo.