Department of African Languages

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A comparison between applicative and non-applicative distransitive verbs in Xhosa
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1993-12) Dyubeni, Nandipha Nomgcobo; Du Plessis, J. A.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of African Languages.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aim of this study is to compare the grammatical relationship between the applicative and non-applicative ditransitive verbs in Xhosa and to establish whether they are treated similarly or differently either syntactically or semantically. In Chapter I a comparison of the views of various linguists on the grammatical nature of the object NPs in African languages is taken into consideration. In Chapter II various arguments are tendered to show the aims of this work. The issues like the predicate argumei·t structure, types of objects, interpretation of theta-roles are dealt with. Three types of verbs, i.e. the concrete, the motion and the abstract verbs are put through the same tests so that their differences may be seen . These tests are the criteria of word order, cliticization and passivization. In Chapter III the principles of Government and Binding theory, i.e. the X - bar theory, government theory, theta-theory and the case theory are invoked to determine the status of the postverbal NPs. Chapter IV deals with the summary of the whole study and its conclusions.