scholarly journals The gender system of Longuda

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-346
Author(s):  
Julius-Maximilian Elstermann ◽  
Ines Fiedler ◽  
Tom Güldemann
Keyword(s):  
Historical Reconstruction ◽  
Classifier System ◽  
Class System ◽  
Nominal Form ◽  
Noun Class ◽  
Nominal Classification ◽  
Gender System

Abstract This article describes the gender system of Longuda. Longuda class marking is alliterative and does not distinguish between nominal form and agreement marking. While it thus appears to be a prototypical example of a traditional Niger-Congo “noun-class” system, this identity of gender encoding makes it look morpho-syntactic rather than lexical. This points to a formerly independent status of the exponents of nominal classification, which is similar to a classifier system and thus less canonical. Both types of class marking hosts involve two formally and functionally differing allomorphs, which inform the historical reconstruction of Longuda noun classification in various ways.

scholarly journals Hainan Cham and the Chamic noun classifiers: New data on an old system

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Graham W Thurgood
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
Common Descent ◽  
Classifier System ◽  
Class System ◽  
Noun Class

A comparison of the Hainan Cham classifiers with the systems in the other Chamic languages makes it clear that the various noun class system are not just typologically similar but are of common descent, dating from proto-Chamic.This paper sketches the noun classifier system of Hainan Cham, compares it with the known cognate systems in the Chamic languages, and speculates briefly on the likelihood that the Chamic noun class system developed under Mon-Khmer influence.

Noun Classes and Plurality in Bantu Languages

2021 ◽  
pp. 538-557
Author(s):  
Lutz Marten
Keyword(s):  
Classification System ◽  
Grammatical Gender ◽  
Bantu Languages ◽  
Class System ◽  
Noun Classes ◽  
Noun Class ◽  
Nominal Classification ◽  
Grammatical Number ◽  
Theoretical Analyses

Noun classes are a prominent grammatical feature of Bantu languages where typically each noun (or noun stem) is assigned to one of between fifteen and eighteen noun classes. Noun classes are often analysed as a form of nominal classification system and seen as belonging to the same domain as grammatical gender systems. Number in Bantu languages is mediated by the noun class system and the intricate interaction between noun class and number in Bantu has given rise to different theoretical analyses. The chapter focuses on three approaches to analysing grammatical number in Bantu languages—approaches based on an inflectional notion of number, those which analyse number as a derivational relation, and approaches adopting notions of polysemy and paradigms for analysing Bantu noun class systems.

Reassessing gender in Ogbe-Oloma

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 387-403
Author(s):  
Ronald P. Schaefer ◽  
Francis O. Egbokhare
Keyword(s):  
Sound Quality ◽  
Form Class ◽  
Nominal Form ◽  
Grammatical Number ◽  
Gender System

Abstract We re-assess the gender system of Ogbe-Oloma, an Edoid village variety of Nigeria. System exponents are prefixes that define form class and reflect grammatical number. We find that eight agreement classes undergird fourteen genders, while seventeen nominal form classes frame twenty-five number inflections. Prefix mapping from inflection to gender is non-isomorphic. Mapping is however constrained by syllable shape, CV- versus V-, and alliterative sound quality of prefix consonant, not vowel. In addition, several number inflections trigger agreement in multiple genders leading to one gender that exclusively refers to nouns with human reference.

The gender system of Durop

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 405-425
Author(s):  
Bruce Connell
Keyword(s):  
Grammatical Gender ◽  
Present Approach ◽  
Cross River ◽  
University Of Leiden ◽  
Nominal Classification ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Gender System ◽  
Classification Agreement

Abstract This paper presents an analysis of grammatical gender and agreement in Durop, a language of the Upper Cross subgroup of Cross River. The data used are drawn from Kastelein (Kastelein, Bianca. 1994. A phonological and grammatical sketch of DuRop. Leiden: University of Leiden Scriptie), whose analysis treats gender as the singular – plural pairings of nouns different from the present approach. Kastelein identifies eight concord classes (agreement classes); these form the basis of gender in Durop in the present analysis; as many as 24 agreement classes are identified here. The various systems comprising nominal classification, agreement and gender in Durop are compared and discussed. The agreement system comprises three subsystems of differing numbers of agreement classes.

Word Order and Agreement in Tagoi

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-174
Author(s):  
Suzan Alamin
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrase ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Class System ◽  
Order Types ◽  
Sentence Level ◽  
Constituent Order ◽  
Noun Class ◽  
South Kordofan

Abstract This study provides a detailed description of word order types, agreement patterns and alternations found in Tagoi, a Kordofanian language traditionally spoken in South Kordofan. After a brief presentation of the language (section 1), the noun class system is introduced (section 2) and the word order and agreement patterns are examined at the noun phrase level (section 3). Section 4 gives information about the constituent order at clause and sentence level, while Section 5 summarizes the findings and conclusion of the paper. All in all, the paper aims at contributing to a better understanding of the grammar, structure and typological features of Tagoi.

Neuter gender in a sexless language

2012 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 41-54
Author(s):  
Merijn de Dreu ◽  
Leston Buell
Keyword(s):  
Romance Languages ◽  
Class System ◽  
Bantu Language ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Noun Class ◽  
Germanic Languages ◽  
Grammatical Functions ◽  
The Way

In some Germanic languages, neuter gender is used both as a lexical gender and for certain grammatical functions, while in Romance languages, neuter gender is only employed for grammatical functions. Zulu, a Bantu language, has a much more elaborate noun class system than those languages, but one not rooted in sex or animacy as in Germanic or Romance. However, it is shown that Zulu noun class 17 is used for the same range of grammatical functions as neuter gender in Indo-European. Specifically, Indo-European neuter gender and Zulu class 17 are used when the referent has no specific noun class properties, for expletive subjects, and as the subject of nominal predication, even when the referent is human. Aside from its use in some languages as a gender for nouns, then, neuter gender can be understood as a cluster of grammatical functions, independently of the way the lexicon is organized.

Cara

2020 ◽  
pp. 653-669
Author(s):  
Rainer Vossen
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Relative Clauses ◽  
Tense And Aspect ◽  
Class System ◽  
Central District ◽  
Noun Class ◽  
Gender Based

Cara is a highly endangered, little-documented Central Khoisan (Khoe) language of the East Kalahari branch, spoken by a small number of persons in Botswana’s Central District. The chapter begins with a brief description of phonological inventories on the segmental (consonant and vowel phonemes) as well as suprasegmental level (tones). Derivational and inflectional aspects are discussed, separately for nominals and verbals, under morphological headings such as gender-based noun class system, pronominal paradigms (personal, demonstrative, possessive, and interrogative), structure of finite verbs, verbal extensions, tense and aspect, modality, and negation. The syntactic characteristics dealt with are word order, coordination, subordination, declarative sentences, questions, and relative clauses.

Biali

2020 ◽  
pp. 462-476
Author(s):  
Coffi Sambiéni
Keyword(s):  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Syllable Structure ◽  
Verbal Description ◽  
Grammatical Structure ◽  
Class System ◽  
The North ◽  
Noun Class ◽  
Republic Of Benin ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Tonal System

This chapter gives a brief description of the grammatical structure of Biali, an Eastern Gur language spoken in the north of the Republic of Benin. It examines major aspects of phonology (five vocalic phonemes; fifteen distinctive consonants; a tonal system contrasting high, mid, and low; syllable structure) and morphosyntax. The description of nominals highlights the noun class system consisting of fifteen classes and deverbal and denominal suffix-based derivation. Nominal compounding is characterized by the use of two or more lexemes expanded with class markers. Noun phrases, adjectives, pronouns, and numerals are also dealt with. Verbal description includes derivational processes, the TAM system, negation, focus, and adverbs.

scholarly journals Issues in noun classification and noun class assignment in Gujjolay Eegimaa (Banjal) and other Joola languages

2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Serge Sagna
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Criteria ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Similar System ◽  
Class System ◽  
Noun Classes ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Noun Class ◽  
Class Assignment

In his book on gender Corbett observes that establishing the number of genders or noun classes in a given language ‘can be the subject of interminable dispute’ (1991: 145). Jóola like Gújjolaay Eegimaa (bqj, Atlantic, Niger-Congo) have noun class systems exhibiting irregular singular-plural matchings and complex agreement correspondences between controller nouns and their targets, resulting in endless disagreements among authors in Jóola linguistics. This paper addresses the issues surrounding noun class assignment in Gújjolaay Eegimaa (Eegimaa henceforth) and other Jóola languages. It provides a critical evaluation of the noun class assignment criteria used for those languages and proposes cross-linguistic and language-specific diagnostic criteria to account for the noun class system of Eegimaa and other related languages that exhibit a similar system.

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