Super-light verbs in Afrikaans
| dc.contributor.advisor | Huddlestone, Kate | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | van Heerden, Lara | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of General Linguistics. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-04-30T14:28:54Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-04-30T14:28:54Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-12 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | This thesis sets out to provide an account of super-light verbs in Afrikaans. While light verbs can be defined as a group of grammatical verbs that are semantically bleached, which means that they have lost some of their lexical content, super-light verbs are argued to be a covert form of a light verb. Based on Van Riemsdijk’s (2002) analysis of constructions with omissible motion verbs, and on Biberauer and Oosthuizen’s (2011) observations regarding omissible lexical verbs in Afrikaans, a description of two super-light verbs in Afrikaans is provided. Specifically, this thesis examines instances where the verbs gaan (“go”) and maak (“make”) in Afrikaans are ostensibly absent. This thesis is situated within a broad Minimalist Syntax framework, and as such, the core architecture and assumptions of Minimalism are first discussed, followed by a discussion of light verbs within Minimalist Syntax and of light verbs in the traditional (semantic) sense (Jespersen 1954-1958). This discussion includes an examination of the concept of silent elements, in general, and silent verbs, in particular, which Van Riemsdijk (2002) characterises as super-light verbs. Thereafter, a description of Afrikaans grammar, with a focus on Afrikaans verbs and verb clusters, is given. It is against this background that super-light verbs in Afrikaans are described. The environments in Afrikaans in which super-light verbs, namely the motion verb GAAN and the causative verb MAAK are licensed are illustrated. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Masters | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | 94 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131956 | |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Super-light verbs in Afrikaans | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |