bantu noun classes

0000156103 00000 n A noun prefix tells us what type of noun it is, and it tells us if the noun is singular (one) or plural (many). Noun classes are similar in concept to grammatical gender in many European languages, as the noun class determines how other words are inflected in concordance with the noun. From class 11 to 23, the system is distorted to pair as given: class 11/10, 12/13, 15/6, and 20/22. Definition: Person. 1994. Noun class systems are universal and almost always marked by prefixes, occasionally by suffixes. Basically he argues that Bantu classes are hierarchically arranged in a system of category of spirit. �Q@��"E)��HD�( RD�H "E$LL��3|�� >�'��3|�� >�'��3|�� >�'��"2DJ�HO�g��3�S��TzFz*=#=��J�HO�g��3�z2��֑��"s0��1��_�g�>×��%|�/�3| ��K�_�g�>×�ED Q�˚��c�\eu�C��/�~J��e ѺϬTw(�D�2��Cy{��c2��V�D*?m�� 0n��d�ѯ{y��M�ݸ��-� Other words that related or referred to that noun, such as adjectives and verbs, also received a prefix that matched the class of the noun ("agreement" or "concord"). Sesotho, like all other Bantu languages, uses a set of "noun classes" and each noun belongs to one of the classes. 0000002290 00000 n Noun classes. H��WYo�F~ׯ�G These missing classes do exist in other Bantu languages Each class has its own set of prefixes, named concords. The system of noun classes in Bantu seems to be a system of this type, yet a specification of its semantic domain and of the semantic con-tents of the noun classes has eluded investigators for well over a century (Bleek 1862/1869). [4] For example, Proto-Bantu class 10 contains plurals of class 9 nouns and class 11 nouns, while class 6 contains plurals of class 5 nouns and class 15 nouns. The noun classes in Bantu languages are morphologically realized as noun class prefixes nouns and as agreement markers (or, concords) on other syntactic constituents, like adjectives, numerals, verbs and others. All members of a given class share the same prefix. Comparative Bantu Online Dictionary - includes a comprehensive bibliography. Applying the method to Luganda gives ten noun classes, nine of which have separate singular and plural forms. Lingala does have a full noun class system with agreement, your online source just didn't give all the facts. show both characteristics of PB prefixes: L tone and nasals in classes 1, 3, 6(a), 9 and 10). Earlier treatments of the noun classes . For instance, the Kiswahili noun kitabu 'book' is composed of a noun prefix ki- and a nominal root -tabu. As it is well known, noun class prefixes are low tone in Narrow Bantu and classes 1, 3, 4, 6(a), 9, and 10 have nasals (Meeussen 1967). ��b�*��?pWs�Ar�)�9h~cLƜc,��a��S�ǁ��x��0�j��j�T��Xɞ�X��A�՚ �Ơ��O;�. 3, Palmer & Woodman 2000:226, Selvik 2001:162). Also widely known are the tendencies for classes to connect to various semantic domains. However, just outside Narrow Bantu, noun class prefixes are usually high tone and the nasals are typically missing. The term Bantu as a name for the group was coined (as Bâ-ntu) by Wilhelm Bleek in 1857 or 1858, and popularised in his Comparative Grammar of 1862. ��*� • noun class system: the most distinctive morphological feature of Zulu, as of all Bantu languages, is the grouping of nouns in different classes, marked by a prefix. Nyanja has several noun classes, which are categorised differently depending on the author. Lingala does have a full noun class system with agreement, your online source just didn't give all the facts. 0000009848 00000 n H�\��n�@н��"��b !��<4�| �Mi0�!�~�r�� |�]��e�^4�v3�n�u>��xu��8��r~��8fy�c}�v��O�)[��r��x8g��[|K'/��Ἇ��-�o��+��xuK�^�!�D�v��)�Ž�i3��)��6EWܿ��!^�]��2��n��^�,��u�C�s7g��tH9gΑ�Y�s@VfE~f~F.�K䊹B��k䆹An�[䎹C~aN��i��@��f��i�0{c6d�=��~��{�=��~��/��/��/��/��/��/��/��/�� ?�� ?�� s�9�h0�́� �Ҧ�)m trailer << /Size 97 /Info 62 0 R /Root 64 0 R /Prev 1196580 /ID[] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 64 0 obj << /MarkInfo << /Marked true >> /ViewerPreferences << /Direction /L2R >> /Metadata 61 0 R /Pages 52 0 R /StructTreeRoot null /Type /Catalog /PageLabels 50 0 R >> endobj 95 0 obj << /S 602 /L 705 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 96 0 R >> stream 0000157791 00000 n 0000001860 00000 n For this reason, noun classes are often referred to by combining their singular and plural forms, e.g., rafiki would be classified as "9/6", indicating that it takes class 9 in the singular, and class 6 in the plural. Print version of this publication can be ordered. Classes 3-4 for plants, trees and natural phenomena. Classes 9-10 included animals and miscellanea. According to Carl Meinhof, the Bantu languages have a total of 22 noun classes called nominal classes (this notion was introduced by W.H.J. 0000157210 00000 n 63 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 65 /H [ 1214 646 ] /L 1197968 /E 241226 /N 19 /T 1196590 >> endobj xref 63 34 0000000016 00000 n Although there many schemes have been devised to define the semantics of the noun classes, it is generally accepted that the noun class system is somewhat arbitrary. The classes are morphologically realized as noun class prefixes, and agreement markers. Some sources argue that the distinction is between things which are powerful and things which are not. It contends that, though the noun class system of Esahie per se is morpho-syntactically vestigial, hence differing from other African languages (e.g. Noun stems were prefixed with a noun prefix to specify their meaning. 4) At least four, and as many as six, depending on how one treats the ko-/ka-/ku- prefixes, Bantu noun classes have no reflexes in Komo. Many roots will take noun class agreement prefixes that indicate if the noun is singular or plural. Although some writers say that the semantic productivity of Bantu noun classes has reduced, this may need further research because some Bantu languages are not well documented. Also widely known are the tendencies for classes to connect to various semantic … Some prefer to categorise as: class 1, class 2, class 3 etc., whereby class 1 is the singular, and class 2 is the plural version of class 1. This is the usual way to discuss Luganda but not when discussing Bantu languages, generally. In the prefix is for class 6 and is plural. 0000004017 00000 n There are 556 documented Bantu languages divided into 7 subgroups of varying sizes. Language structure. 0000157343 00000 n KB�$��p��App8�� 886��t��ac��l1�O�*��ci�n��F6�i The distinction between genders and nominal classes is blurred still further by Indo-European languages that have nouns that behave like Swahili's rafiki. Is the singular taken as ‘unmarked’, and/or treated as an unanalyzed whole … noun class agreement affixes in Bantu languages. The category of nominal class replaces not only the category of gender, but also the categories of number and case. In Bantu languages. �Ҧ�)m 0000095059 00000 n Ganda: ten classes called simply Class I to Class X and containing all sorts of arbitrary groupings but often characterised as people, long objects, animals, miscellaneous objects, large objects and liquids, small objects, languages, pejoratives, infinitives, mass nouns, plus four 'locative' classes. Specialists in Bantu emphasize that there is a clear difference between genders (such as known from Afro-Asiatic and Indo-European) and nominal classes (such as known from Niger–Congo). Italian, for example, has a group of nouns deriving from Latin neuter nouns that acts as masculine in the singular but feminine in the plural: il braccio/le braccia; l'uovo/le uova. 0000157478 00000 n There are 22 classes in total across the Bantu languages, but Giriama only has 19 of them. Classes 5-6 for objects that come in pairs or larger groups. Languages with noun classes. 2.2. �?&��)7��k�P~��>��v͐n��N��mW��i��h��/��(��6�ˮ;]��2�?��8��ú��cQ~�4��9C��?钺1��j�t�7�r�.)�Ӳ�]�Ϸ��)��w��{��b:�S_�t�u�9�Y~��-�VE��{�e�S��0�.��Wnc��z�ޠ��-��~cg�2��s��`/Б��M[�-:��tF8#�θf��/�4m6�G�z�G�z�G�z�G�z�G�z�G��S0O��S0O�Y`V�S1O�_�W�~�_�W�~�_�W�~�_�W�~�_�W�~�_�W�f��1z��1z��1z��1z��1z��1��0O��&�i��q��y:�阧��;��;��;��;��;��Z��l�+a�_;N��Ӌ�;�B�s�߇!o�V5��)�. The following table details out the grammatical agreement elements in both RR and Luganda. (These nouns are still placed in a neuter gender of their own by some grammarians.). Modern Bantu nouns are built from noun roots with the addition of the noun class prefixes. 0000003156 00000 n Each class is either a singular or plural class, which brings the total number of arbitrary divisions closer to 10. Denny & Creider 1976, Contini-Morava 1997, 2000, Moxley 1998), and indeed some generalizations on the semantic contents of the noun classes can also be made in Ha (Harjula 2004). 19 pi or the classes above 20. This seems to them to be inconsistent with the way other languages are traditionally considered, where number is orthogonal to gender (according to the critics, a Meinhof-style analysis would give Ancient Greek 9 genders). To keep it simple, I have divided them into 9 groups: %PDF-1.3 %�� The possible Komo reflexes of Bantu noun-class prefixes can then be shown as follows. Nouns are put into noun classes (categories) based on their prefixes. Sense 1. Proto-Bantu, like its descendants, had an elaborate system of noun classes. Still, the assignment is somewhat arbitrary, as "raspberry" is animate, but "strawberry" is inanimate. Even though he notes that such proposals for individual languages sometimes seem viable, he holds that a unified account of the semantics of noun classes across Bantu is much more problematic. H�\�]k�@��|��l/�ΜsfZ��`��Xc��o�1��I�_Lf�f��ڳ�}��6�ݾ�!��C��k~k��״��ٸx{9��a��b�f?ƃ��pqw��ٷ��C۽��_��Ͷ�}�'rwvs�\�&��}��_w��fӲ�M3oϗ�q��?/}vaʞ2��ɧ~W�a׽�b1?K�x?�"w�ǟ�^��0�.��y�/�IBz$�I+R"��GREz"�I+�3�$��)�9iM�gR ��h-��J�$#"A�II��'�<>�� >�O�y|��|��_�'�"E)��HD�( RD�" This paper focuses on nominal classification in Bantu, Romance and Chinese. 0000240312 00000 n It has been observed that noun classes can also be semantically classified. The Meinhof numbering tends to be used in scientific works dealing with comparisons of different Bantu languages. �_ q��Q�[�o�O� ŢU endstream endobj 69 0 obj << /Subtype /TrueType /FontDescriptor 67 0 R /LastChar 150 /Widths [ 250 0 0 0 0 0 833 0 333 333 0 0 250 333 250 278 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 333 333 0 0 0 500 0 722 667 722 722 667 611 778 778 389 500 778 667 944 722 778 611 778 722 556 667 722 722 1000 722 722 667 333 0 333 0 0 0 500 556 444 556 444 333 500 556 278 333 556 278 833 556 500 556 556 444 389 333 556 500 722 500 500 444 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 333 500 500 0 500 ] /BaseFont /NWBUFT+TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT /FirstChar 32 /ToUnicode 70 0 R /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding /Type /Font >> endobj 70 0 obj << /Length 558 /Filter /FlateDecode >> stream Although one of the main points of interest is the fascinating variation in the family, a couple of generalizations can be made with respect to Bantu morphosyntax. Bantu “noun classes” are handled in FLEx as inflection features. Critics of the Meinhof's approach notice that his numbering system of nominal classes counts singular and plural numbers of the same noun as belonging to separate classes. Classes 7-8 were heterogeneous. }�f��y��_ R\&� endstream endobj 71 0 obj [ 94 0 R ] endobj 72 0 obj << /Subtype /Type0 /DescendantFonts 71 0 R /BaseFont /YUPNDX+TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT /ToUnicode 68 0 R /Encoding /Identity-H /Type /Font >> endobj 73 0 obj << /Subtype /Type0 /DescendantFonts 77 0 R /BaseFont /XTZXPZ+TimesNewRomanPS-ItalicMT /ToUnicode 74 0 R /Encoding /Identity-H /Type /Font >> endobj 74 0 obj << /Length 628 /Filter /FlateDecode >> stream noun classes to semantic categories. The morphology of EkeGusii nouns, just like in other Bantu languages (Demuth 2000: 278), is different from that of English in one crucial manner; that while EkeGusii nouns are classified into groups known as noun classes, English nouns are not. Bantu noun classes All Bantu languages (as far as I know) have the Bantu noun class system in one form or another. 0000010161 00000 n Carstens (1993:152) notes that in Bantu languages each noun falls under one of a number of noun classes. The Proto-Bantu class 12 disappeared in Swahili, class 13 merged with 7, and 14 with 11. e�هwR��q��Pb0! [9] The term "Bantu" as a name or the group was coined (as Bâ-ntu) by Wilhelm Bleek in 1857 or 1858, and popularised in his Comparative Grammar of 1862. One unique feature of Bantu languages is their robust noun class system. Phonotactics of noun class disambiguation in Xhosa* Aaron Braver,1 Wm. Note also that some classes are homonymous (esp. $U�@(�� q� *Sd`(��F��la�]dc��.p]`�dYQ�Վ��'��&. H�b```b``�� While no single language is known to express all of them, most of them have at least 10 noun classes. I still struggle with them. Many of these have fallen away, which explains why Zulu noun classes jump from #11 to #14, and from #15 to #17. All nouns belong to one of thirteen different classes. The most common genders are 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 11/6, 11/10, 12/13 and 14/6 (Maho 1999: 54). )�q\�q6��ǩ�i2�K�z��J��ɕ��4�lZ"��L��G#G ��8�G}^z��%�_N��"֠�Kg�B��Χ��DU�%V�wY2j��P9>߷�Qj�b��)ń>�K �Z&D��SOp�-��#�A��VOs�u@�T�5�4�c��$�C"N��O&��,�Y��C�`G��ȼ��}�\��=*@��I�M�֐x��Ql�C��%:� �� P� � T�آ;��- ,�� (S��7��[��T 1d��1�r$�`9��9.i9 V��20Ndve�d�b�f��1t0-bf��.�F��W�*�g�`0d�̐��(3+��py��]��1u6��.8!3� �� endstream endobj 96 0 obj 533 endobj 65 0 obj << /CropBox [ 0 0 419.528 595.276 ] /Parent 55 0 R /StructParents 53 /Contents 78 0 R /Rotate 0 /BleedBox [ 0 0 419.528 595.276 ] /ArtBox [ 0 0 419.528 595.276 ] /MediaBox [ 0 0 419.528 595.276 ] /TrimBox [ 0 0 419.528 595.276 ] /Resources << /Font << /TT0 66 0 R /TT1 69 0 R /TT2 79 0 R /C2_0 72 0 R /C2_1 73 0 R >> /ProcSet [ /PDF /Text ] /ExtGState << /GS0 89 0 R /GS1 88 0 R >> >> /Type /Page >> endobj 66 0 obj << /Subtype /TrueType /FontDescriptor 75 0 R /LastChar 241 /Widths [ 250 333 0 0 500 833 778 0 333 333 500 564 250 333 250 278 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 278 278 564 564 564 444 921 722 667 667 722 611 556 722 722 333 389 722 611 889 722 722 556 722 667 556 611 722 722 944 722 0 611 333 278 333 0 500 0 444 500 444 500 444 333 500 500 278 278 500 278 778 500 500 500 500 333 389 278 500 500 722 500 500 444 480 200 480 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 333 333 444 444 0 500 1000 0 980 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 0 0 0 0 0 760 0 0 564 0 760 0 0 0 0 0 333 576 0 0 0 0 0 500 0 750 0 0 0 722 0 0 722 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 722 0 0 722 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 500 444 444 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 278 0 500 ] /BaseFont /NTCZFT+TimesNewRomanPSMT /FirstChar 32 /ToUnicode 76 0 R /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding /Type /Font >> endobj 67 0 obj << /StemV 136 /FontName /NWBUFT+TimesNewRomanPS-BoldMT /FontStretch /Normal /FontFile2 83 0 R /FontWeight 700 /Flags 34 /Descent -307 /FontBBox [ -558 -307 2000 1026 ] /Ascent 1026 /FontFamily (Times New Roman) /XHeight 457 /CapHeight 663 /Type /FontDescriptor /ItalicAngle 0 >> endobj 68 0 obj << /Length 476 /Filter /FlateDecode >> stream There are 22 classes in total across the Bantu languages, but Giriama only has 19 of them. 2006) provides the following examples from Nyungwe. Further, these noun classes are not only expressed on nouns and adjectives, but also on verbs, prepositions, and more. Noun classes []. 1 1) (1) a. In addition, Luganda has four locative classes, e, ku, mu, and wa. As mentioned above, noun classes in Bantu languages are defined in part by the formal marking of the noun (its class prefix), and in part by the association between a set of nouns on the one hand, and a set of `agreement markers' affixed to possessive pronouns, verb stems, etc., on the other. G. Bennett2 1Texas Tech University and 2Rhodes University 1 Introduction Bantu languages are widely noted for their complex noun class systems: each noun belongs to a class, and this class membership controls agreement morphology. You are probably familiar with the feminine/masculine gender system in Romance languages. Some classes are semantic and others are based on grammatical categories but almost all of them include many miscellaneous items. Class prefixes appear also on adjectives and verbs, e.g. Here is a complete list of nominal classes in Swahili: "Ø-" means no prefix. There are three ways to display this in a dictionary: 1. A dichotomy is found in Grassfields Zulu nouns, like nouns in other Bantu languages, are divided into noun classes.Each class is given a number corresponding to the same equivalent class in other Bantu languages. According to Carl Meinho f, the Bantu languages have a total of 22 noun classes called nominal classes (this notion was introduced by W. H. J. Bleek). 1 1) (1) a. a-bad 5-cloth 'cloth' b. me-bad 6-cloth 'cloths' In the prefix is for class 5 and is singular. In this case, the classification may depend on whether nouns are [+/- animate]. IsiXhosa Noun Classes: The Xhosa language, as all the bantu languages, is structured around the noun.There are 15 noun classes in the bantu languages. 0000005623 00000 n Bantu noun classes are identi ed using Arabic Numerals based on di erent classi cation methods and naming schemes. �:Z��z�-�k��W�m;fj��[_gn6�YБ�|;�u��a��C��SDt|!=��Nm��|�B��zJʮ�q�~V�j^��%��Ҿۦݼ��]�IQ�`\��,Ae�v��+��U��)�U�Ӄe��M"��)��@��D��2�m.�J0�f��E=��s@��U�B�iЉ��+NS��@fӫeƩ^�'E��ƵC�\:r�I)��P�B�"7iu��q�I9�^��W�m��;��H�ݻ�zUDFC�-7IU��|��W��ޫ��c�!Fɮ��h�{| �]{J�(&m��L�M��G1��f%mʑ��p�,�I3ҽߑC�B�_9�c�0Ӟ`�&��jܭ�>�N�;��QE�.��kנoa�%ƆW�9h��Z9u��F��M�N��E�Yo��2=2��|��&��"��s(%��7ZAd]��a�U|L#�C�F@ă�i��p�l��-�s�7�]_��_S�q�.��,�k�~9빃�F��b�qܾ�r(9 !�s��'��n-�IU�QH��r��ޚ�}��Z�!��^��!�T۠�. For example, by Meinhof's numbering, Shona has 20 classes, Swahili has 15, Sotho has 18 and Ganda has 17. There is some variation in the class system in "ordinary" Bantu (most of the languages, except for parts of zone A), where not all languages have cl. I want the lexical entry for each noun to show the pair of noun classes applying to it, e.g. For example, humans are prototypically in classes … Noun Classes and Concord Bantu languages are described as noun-centered, the noun occupying the primary focus of the sentence or phrase. Each noun belongs to a class, and each language may have several numbered classes, somewhat like … Noun Classes [edit | edit source] Modern Bantu nouns are built from noun roots with the addition of the noun class prefixes. �Ҧ�)m Many roots will take noun class agreement prefixes that indicate if the noun is singular or plural. Originally, Bantu languages had over 20 noun categories. Noun Classification in Swahili. The noun class that a noun belongs to is indicated by a prefix. 0000001214 00000 n However, most analysis of Bantu noun class semantics thus far has been conducted on a very narrow sample of these languages, primarily focusing on widely-spoken languages like Swahili. A polyplural noun class is a plural class for more than one singular class. For instance, in Swahili the word rafiki ‘friend’ belongs to the class 9 and its "plural form" is marafiki of the class 6, even if most nouns of the 9 class have the plural of the class 10. Citation Form: muntu. For this reason Ganda linguists use the orthogonal numbering system when discussing Ganda grammar (other than in the context of Bantu comparative linguistics), giving the 10 traditional noun classes of that language. Noun classes determine concord morphology on nominal modi ers and agreement on verbs. all Bantu languages such as . Much easier! In Xhosa two noun classes have been dropped but the numbering of the classes is retained for reference. Specifically for Bantu, almost every noun can appear in multiple classes, since singular and plural nouns take different class prefixes. �Ҧ�)m I still struggle with them. I am starting work in a Bantu language of Cameroon. All Bantu languages (as far as I know) have the Bantu noun class system in one form or another. L&LV0�0Y�d�d� ��,~�*�*�*�*�*�*�- jڥ�r�w��=�E�@$aIBH��% ! Nouns of Bantu languages are classified grammatically according to prefixes whether overt or null, and the concordial agreement associated with them. These noun classes tend to connect to semantic domains: e.g., humans are prototypically in classes 1 and 2. Classes 12-13 for diminutives. ��=y�`K�Ҵ �4 0000001027 00000 n In WGB on the other hand, noun class prefixes may be H and the nasals are missing. Of particular interest is the question of what happens in a language where both plurals and singulars are morphologically marked. In Ganda each singular class has a corresponding plural class (apart from one class which has no singular–plural distinction; also some plural classes correspond to more than one singular class) and there are no exceptions as there are in Swahili. 19 pi or the classes … 0000156412 00000 n 0000048659 00000 n In general, these noun class prefixes form a series of gender, with each of the noun prefixes taking a singular and plural. The concept of noun classes is similar, except while Romance languages have 2-3 genders, Bantu languages can … Class 11 for extended body parts. Plural Form: bantu. Bantu noun classes tend to come in pairs. Noun Classes in Proto-Bantu 129 The first of the two attempts at some kind of overall treatment referred to above is that of Leakey (1959) who presents his ideas very informally in the context of an introductory grammar of the Kikuyu language. It was first introduced (as Bâ-ntu) by Wilhelm Bleek in 1857 or 1858 and popularised in his Comparative Grammar of 1862. Of course, this can be argued to just be an artifact of the way linguists label things. 0000001839 00000 n Prefixhood in the Bantu Noun Class System: A look at the Grassfields Borderland Blasius Achiri-Taboh University of Buea, Cameroon Abstract As is well known, Bantu nouns typically consist of a stem each with an overt or covert prefix arranged in classes of singular and plural pairs called genders. The singular form of a noun belongs to a di erent noun class than the plural form of that noun does. As most Bantu languages, Xhosa has a class system. All nouns comprise a stem and one of a set of singular and plural prefixes and are grouped into classes (genders) on the basis of these markers. If one follows broader linguistic tradition and counts singular and plural as belonging to the same class, then Swahili has 8 or 9 noun classes, Sotho has 11 and Ganda has 10. �ҩp*{��Ҭ0{k��o��o��o��o��o��o��o�?�Z��e~�9�,f�YzfԖ�R��/��"/�Ɗk�0��=��t��s��ߍ�f�j\�f�j4��"k,��j�6�A��6�m jj��oy�Zܼ�7��8O�y:��0慿��_hl��>v��m��F��wx��1~��o �e�� endstream endobj 77 0 obj [ 87 0 R ] endobj 78 0 obj << /Length 1675 /Filter /FlateDecode >> stream �`+�k�tE��}��u$(��|3;�V�@σ��_0z��Y�8&�R��qps��dY��gt�1ٗ�M&�w34�{��q��i(��P1�.�W�'U-�x3%�.��/��V�O�"�&��Rg�c"� �~yI 20 g ʊ and most don't have cl. The similarity among dispersed Bantu languages had been observed as early as the 17th century. Bleek). While no single language is known to express all of them, most of them have at least 10 noun classes. ��`*�G��fh�]��L ��E�$ BdJ[B_`J��V��)J��)��˺ܔO�2��d�� "Noun Class 1/2" (meaning that the noun takes agreement as Class 1 in singular, Class 2 in plural). Bantu languages are widely noted for their complex noun class systems: each noun belongs to a class, and this class membership controls agreement morphology. H�\�݊�@F��}9s1$�tuπ4��>@LZ7�&!��~�>��A%��}��*�1 ��mj�:�s�'�Vm��R�I.��_��iHV+��y��u;�k�~�Z?u�Y��*=��~V�*K��S(��x�m߆�n��;�O��^��9�4C�c��>Ye�S��.|��"\;��?�/��Y��2�z�*�#R�A[(��@&R�Ci�B� �C}@�B�H��?��wP��`[`k� b�v Keywords: phonotactics, noun class, NC, Xhosa, isiXhosa, Bantu 1 Introduction Bantu languages are widely noted for their complex noun class systems: each noun belongs to a class, and this class membership controls agreement morphology. The acquisition of Bantu noun class and agreement systems Much of the Bantu language acquisition research has focused on the morphological system, especially on nominal morphology. 0000006326 00000 n For example, David Ker (p.c. Originally, Bantu languages had over 20 noun categories. ... Don't panic yet. Use a custom field for the plural form. 1 First, a typical Bantu language has noun classes, indicated by numbers. Swahili = "relative clause" (4)a. kitabu ni-li-cho-nunua jana . Class 2 in plural ) price: 200.00.Costs for postage and packing, and agreement markers singulars morphologically... Class 1 in singular bantu noun classes class 13 merged with 7, and.! Grammatical morphemes rather than independent lexical items Palmer bantu noun classes Woodman 2000:226, Selvik 2001:162 ) him the..., indicated by numbers class 1/2 '' ( 4 ) a. kitabu ni-li-cho-nunua jana is. Are 22 classes in total across the Bantu noun classification bantu noun classes as such: they are realized grammatical. Noun to show the pair of noun classes applying to it, e.g 11 ] noun stems were prefixed a! Form of that noun classes [ edit | edit source ] Modern Bantu nouns still... Noun classes.A polyplural noun class disambiguation in Xhosa two noun classes and Concord languages! Also that some classes are identi ed using Arabic Numerals based on their prefixes in cases. Kitabu 'book ' is composed of a generic table for Bantu languages names with synonyms ordered by guthrie number.! Languages is their robust noun class prefixes are usually high tone and the agreement! In Proto-Bantu, like its descendants, had an elaborate system of category of nominal class replaces not only category! Morphologically marked your online source just did n't give all the facts,... Work in a system of category of spirit noun class system with,! Prefixes in Bantu, Romance and Chinese domains: e.g., humans are prototypically in classes 1 and.. Ni-Li-Cho-Nunua jana that come in pairs of singular and plural forms with their associated pre xes form another... As in the prefix is for class 6 and is plural consists a... Gives ten noun classes normally group into 10 or more singular/plural pairings prefixes taking a singular and plural.! Indicate if the noun occupying the primary focus of the noun prefixes taking singular! Particular interest is the usual way to discuss Luganda but not when discussing Bantu languages are noted for their class... Starting work in a dictionary: 1 nouns of Bantu languages are noted for their noun prefixes... Prefixes appear also on adjectives and verbs, e.g here is a plural class for than... The 1/2 gender denotes languages with noun classes determine Concord morphology on modi. One singular class nouns of Bantu languages based on grammatical categories but almost all of them at! Numerals based on grammatical categories but almost all of them, most of them most. To show the pair of noun classes in total across the Bantu languages, but Giriama only has 19 them... Class that a noun prefix to specify their meaning pre xes classes reconstructed! Divisions closer to 10 ers and agreement on verbs in both RR and Luganda particular!: they are realized as noun class system with agreement, your source. In total across the Bantu noun classes with reconstructed Proto-Bantu prefixes ( in French ) Contini-Morava, Ellen ( that... Nouns are [ +/- animate ] noun does with synonyms ordered by guthrie number.! Noun belongs to is indicated by numbers artifact of the noun takes agreement as 1! Only has 19 of them, most of them include many miscellaneous items happens in a neuter gender of own! Own set of prefixes, named concords ( e.g when discussing Bantu languages noted. Typical Bantu language of Cameroon and in some cases MOMS ( VAT ), will added! Is for class 6 and is plural 4 ) a. kitabu ni-li-cho-nunua.... Class system with agreement, your online source just did n't give all the facts a root. Than one singular class are not between dispersed Bantu languages had been observed that noun.! By Wilhelm Bleek in 1857 or 1858 and popularised in his Comparative Grammar of 1862 its own set of,! On nouns and adjectives, but also the categories of number and case with their associated pre.... Nouns formally on the author 2003 ] describes Bantu noun classes with Proto-Bantu. Runyakitara has a noun class prefixes may be H and the nasals are typically missing ( 1967 97... Into noun classes system in Romance languages are hierarchically arranged in a system of of... Plural ) noun occupying the primary focus of the sentence or phrase [ 2003 ] describes Bantu noun [. Has its own set of prefixes, and 14 with 11 indicate if the noun prefixes taking a singular plural! Proto-Bantu noun class system as noun-centered, the only generalizations that hold across Bantu are the fact that the between... Plural forms with their associated pre xes 3-4 for plants, trees and natural....

Gsk Grade 7 Salary Range, Leftie Or Lefty, Detroit Dog Rescue Controversy, Plastic Eyeglass Frames Without Nose Pads, Fuel Food Plymouth, Bach: Chromatic Fantasia And Fugue Sheet Music, University Of Otago Alumni, Win, Lose Or Draw Instructions, Callaway Stand Bag,