Motion verbs in Xhosa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:This study explores the motion verb in Xhosa.In Section 1 the aim of the study is stated. Findings about motion verbs by Levin andRappaport Hovav in Roca (1992) are discussed. The nature of unaccusative verbs and theproblems which are encountered when the differences between the unaccusatives andinergatives are identified, are presented from the finding ,s of Nels (1987). Theta theory andCase theory are also discussed in this section.Section 2 deals with the classification of motion verbs. The external argument of these verbs isdealt with. Three classes of motion verbs, as stated by Levin and Rappaport Hovav, areexamined. Types of inherent directional verbs are dealt with. These types are the following:(a) Achievement of motion, e.g. -f'tka (arrive).(b) Inherent specified path, e.g. (i)hla (descend).The manner of motion verbs which are [+DEC] and [-DEC] as well as the types and theirfeatures are discussed. A group of manner of motion verbs which do not fit in with the[+DEC] class but were classified as members of this group by Levin and Rappaport, is alsoidentified.In Section 3 features of motion verbs are looked into. Locative argument and locativeinversion are discussed. Time clauses of duration which involve for and in in English andreferred to in Xhosa as ngemizuzu, emizuzwini and imizuzu, are also looked into. Timeclauses, commands and requests are dealt with in this section.Section 4 focusses on the derivational affixes and the effect of these affixes to the semanticinterpretation of the arguments of the derived motion verbs.Section 5 deals with adjuncts. Subject inversion and NPs which can appear as objects of themotion verbs, are discussed. Nga- phrases and their semantic features when they appear withmotion verbs are also dealt with. The infinitive and ulruba-clauses that can appear with motionverbs are looked into in this section.Section 6 is the conclusion, summarising the findings of all the previous sections in this studyon motion verbs.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University