This MA thesis describes some morpho-syntactic aspects of Konso: a Lowland-East Cushitic language... more This MA thesis describes some morpho-syntactic aspects of Konso: a Lowland-East Cushitic language in Southern Ethiopia.
The verb system in Gwama, a Koman language spoken in Ethiopia, has two contrastive morphemes grou... more The verb system in Gwama, a Koman language spoken in Ethiopia, has two contrastive morphemes grounded in the spatial domain, which are labelled deictic-directional (DD) markers. Since there is no tense/aspect inflection on verbs, the semantics of these directional morphemes also extend into the temporal/aspectual domain. With motion verbs, the unmarked verb form signals an unspecified direction away from the deictic centre. In contrast, a verb form with DD1 indicates direction to the deictic centre/ speaker and a verb form with DD2 indicates direction to the addressee. Due to interaction with person marking and mood, these basic notions may be altered, especially with second person and imperative. With non-motion verbs, the semantics change and distancing in non-spatial domains becomes more prominent, especially for DD2. Correspondingly, this marker is found in counterfactual constructions in combination with an Intentitive auxiliary. In addition, the role of DD markers in benefactive constructions is discussed. The existing literature on Gwama does not discuss verbal direction and, also failing to address tone, has struggled to interpret verb forms meaningfully. This paper, in showing the centrality of the directional markers in the verb system, provides a much-needed basis for the interpretation of verb forms.
Cite as: Hellenthal, Anne-Christie. (2018). Semantics of directional verb morphology in Gwama. In: Nilo-Saharan Issues and Perspectives. Eds. Helga Schröder & Prisca Jerono. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe. pp. 179-192.
cite as
Hellenthal, Anne-Christie (2020). Two verbal reduplication processes in Gwama. In: Essays... more cite as Hellenthal, Anne-Christie (2020). Two verbal reduplication processes in Gwama. In: Essays on African languages and linguistics in honour of Maarten Mous, Jenneke van der Wal, Heleen Smits, Sara Petrollino, Victoria Nyst and Maasten Kossmann (eds.), Leiden: ASCL, pp 203-212. https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/138531
Full verb root reduplication in Gwama can be explained by syntactical rules. Partial verb root reduplication occurs to indicate Future or Imperfectivity on (affirmative) clause-final uninflected verbs.
This article grew out of a course on oral texts taught by Maarten Mous. We show the crucial aspec... more This article grew out of a course on oral texts taught by Maarten Mous. We show the crucial aspects of a single Iraqw tale, i.e. its structure, the performance and its coherence, by adapting various literary and linguistic approaches. Anne-Christie Hellenthal applies the theories of Propp to this tale in section 3, Henriette Daudey investigates the performance aspects of the story teller and in particular her use of pauses in section 4 and Heleen Smits made a study of coherence of the tale through the use of demonstratives, section 5. After a short introduction on Iraqw verbal art in section 1, we present the complete story in an English translation in section 2. The Iraqw text with interlineair glosses is given in an appendix.
This thesis investigates the grammar of Sheko, an Omotic language spoken in southwest Ethiopia. T... more This thesis investigates the grammar of Sheko, an Omotic language spoken in southwest Ethiopia. The study presents an analysis of the phonology, morphology and syntax of the language , amply illustrated by examples. The supplements contain a sample of texts and an extensive word list. Among other things, the author discusses the interrelation between gender, definiteness and number in nominal morphology. Some nominal morphology also occurs on verbal forms. In the verb system, stem formation, aspectual and modal distinctions as well as stance marking are treated. The language has a rich array of complex verb constructions, such as medial clauses and serial verb constructions, next to different types of subordinate clauses. In relative clauses, a resumptive pronoun may occur before the antecedent. One of the divergent ways in which interrogatives are formed is by "subtractive morphology" , i.e . dropping off a grammatical element which is obligatorily present in declaratives. Furthermore, subject clitics attach to a variety of hosts in correlation to information structure and focus. These and a number of other issues make the work valuable for specialists of Omotic and Afroasiatic studies as well as for general linguists and anyone interested in the typology of language .
Based on a limited set of data, the phonology of Dime is discussed and a some preliminary suggest... more Based on a limited set of data, the phonology of Dime is discussed and a some preliminary suggestions for writing the language with fidel (Sabean script) or latin are given.
This MA thesis describes some morpho-syntactic aspects of Konso: a Lowland-East Cushitic language... more This MA thesis describes some morpho-syntactic aspects of Konso: a Lowland-East Cushitic language in Southern Ethiopia.
The verb system in Gwama, a Koman language spoken in Ethiopia, has two contrastive morphemes grou... more The verb system in Gwama, a Koman language spoken in Ethiopia, has two contrastive morphemes grounded in the spatial domain, which are labelled deictic-directional (DD) markers. Since there is no tense/aspect inflection on verbs, the semantics of these directional morphemes also extend into the temporal/aspectual domain. With motion verbs, the unmarked verb form signals an unspecified direction away from the deictic centre. In contrast, a verb form with DD1 indicates direction to the deictic centre/ speaker and a verb form with DD2 indicates direction to the addressee. Due to interaction with person marking and mood, these basic notions may be altered, especially with second person and imperative. With non-motion verbs, the semantics change and distancing in non-spatial domains becomes more prominent, especially for DD2. Correspondingly, this marker is found in counterfactual constructions in combination with an Intentitive auxiliary. In addition, the role of DD markers in benefactive constructions is discussed. The existing literature on Gwama does not discuss verbal direction and, also failing to address tone, has struggled to interpret verb forms meaningfully. This paper, in showing the centrality of the directional markers in the verb system, provides a much-needed basis for the interpretation of verb forms.
Cite as: Hellenthal, Anne-Christie. (2018). Semantics of directional verb morphology in Gwama. In: Nilo-Saharan Issues and Perspectives. Eds. Helga Schröder & Prisca Jerono. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe. pp. 179-192.
cite as
Hellenthal, Anne-Christie (2020). Two verbal reduplication processes in Gwama. In: Essays... more cite as Hellenthal, Anne-Christie (2020). Two verbal reduplication processes in Gwama. In: Essays on African languages and linguistics in honour of Maarten Mous, Jenneke van der Wal, Heleen Smits, Sara Petrollino, Victoria Nyst and Maasten Kossmann (eds.), Leiden: ASCL, pp 203-212. https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/138531
Full verb root reduplication in Gwama can be explained by syntactical rules. Partial verb root reduplication occurs to indicate Future or Imperfectivity on (affirmative) clause-final uninflected verbs.
This article grew out of a course on oral texts taught by Maarten Mous. We show the crucial aspec... more This article grew out of a course on oral texts taught by Maarten Mous. We show the crucial aspects of a single Iraqw tale, i.e. its structure, the performance and its coherence, by adapting various literary and linguistic approaches. Anne-Christie Hellenthal applies the theories of Propp to this tale in section 3, Henriette Daudey investigates the performance aspects of the story teller and in particular her use of pauses in section 4 and Heleen Smits made a study of coherence of the tale through the use of demonstratives, section 5. After a short introduction on Iraqw verbal art in section 1, we present the complete story in an English translation in section 2. The Iraqw text with interlineair glosses is given in an appendix.
This thesis investigates the grammar of Sheko, an Omotic language spoken in southwest Ethiopia. T... more This thesis investigates the grammar of Sheko, an Omotic language spoken in southwest Ethiopia. The study presents an analysis of the phonology, morphology and syntax of the language , amply illustrated by examples. The supplements contain a sample of texts and an extensive word list. Among other things, the author discusses the interrelation between gender, definiteness and number in nominal morphology. Some nominal morphology also occurs on verbal forms. In the verb system, stem formation, aspectual and modal distinctions as well as stance marking are treated. The language has a rich array of complex verb constructions, such as medial clauses and serial verb constructions, next to different types of subordinate clauses. In relative clauses, a resumptive pronoun may occur before the antecedent. One of the divergent ways in which interrogatives are formed is by "subtractive morphology" , i.e . dropping off a grammatical element which is obligatorily present in declaratives. Furthermore, subject clitics attach to a variety of hosts in correlation to information structure and focus. These and a number of other issues make the work valuable for specialists of Omotic and Afroasiatic studies as well as for general linguists and anyone interested in the typology of language .
Based on a limited set of data, the phonology of Dime is discussed and a some preliminary suggest... more Based on a limited set of data, the phonology of Dime is discussed and a some preliminary suggestions for writing the language with fidel (Sabean script) or latin are given.
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Cite as: Hellenthal, Anne-Christie. (2018). Semantics of directional verb morphology in Gwama. In: Nilo-Saharan Issues and Perspectives. Eds. Helga Schröder & Prisca Jerono. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe. pp. 179-192.
Hellenthal, Anne-Christie (2020). Two verbal reduplication processes in Gwama. In: Essays on African languages and linguistics in honour of Maarten Mous, Jenneke van der Wal, Heleen Smits, Sara Petrollino, Victoria Nyst and Maasten Kossmann (eds.), Leiden: ASCL, pp 203-212. https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/138531
Full verb root reduplication in Gwama can be explained by syntactical rules. Partial verb root reduplication occurs to indicate Future or Imperfectivity on (affirmative) clause-final uninflected verbs.
"subtractive morphology" , i.e . dropping off a grammatical element which is obligatorily present in declaratives. Furthermore, subject clitics attach to a variety of hosts in correlation to information structure and focus. These and a number of other issues make the work valuable for specialists of Omotic and Afroasiatic studies as well as for general linguists and anyone interested in the typology of language .
(c) 2017 by Anne-Christie Hellenthal
Cite as: Hellenthal, Anne-Christie. (2018). Semantics of directional verb morphology in Gwama. In: Nilo-Saharan Issues and Perspectives. Eds. Helga Schröder & Prisca Jerono. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe. pp. 179-192.
Hellenthal, Anne-Christie (2020). Two verbal reduplication processes in Gwama. In: Essays on African languages and linguistics in honour of Maarten Mous, Jenneke van der Wal, Heleen Smits, Sara Petrollino, Victoria Nyst and Maasten Kossmann (eds.), Leiden: ASCL, pp 203-212. https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/138531
Full verb root reduplication in Gwama can be explained by syntactical rules. Partial verb root reduplication occurs to indicate Future or Imperfectivity on (affirmative) clause-final uninflected verbs.
"subtractive morphology" , i.e . dropping off a grammatical element which is obligatorily present in declaratives. Furthermore, subject clitics attach to a variety of hosts in correlation to information structure and focus. These and a number of other issues make the work valuable for specialists of Omotic and Afroasiatic studies as well as for general linguists and anyone interested in the typology of language .
(c) 2017 by Anne-Christie Hellenthal