The noun and verb in Mmen: a Center Ring Grassfields Bantu language
Issue Date:
2012
Publisher:
Sponsored By:
Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation
Extent:
47 Pages
Abstract:
The paper is a study of the noun and verb phrase in Mmen; it starts out with a description of
the noun class system. It also looks into the several different modifiers that are part of the
noun phrase and the way they agree with the head noun. The second part of this paper
describes the verb in Mmen and how tense, mood and aspect is expressed within the verb
phrase, as well as different ways of negating sentences. Finally this paper looks into some of
word order of simple clauses versa questions in Mmen.
Description:
This study aims to describe the noun and verb in Mmen. It starts out with a background and
explanation of the method used for the collection of data, followed by a brief description of
the phonemes of the language. Following the background is a description of the noun, with
its noun class system and the different modifiers within the noun phrase. The next section
covers the verb and the different markers for tense, aspect, mood and negation. This is
finally summarised in a brief conclusion.
1
Publication Status:
Published
Table of Contents:
1 Introduction and background .....1, 1.1 Sociolinguistic background ..... 2, 1.2 Previous studies .... 2,
2 Method ......... 3, 2.1 Language consultants ...... 3, 2.2 Theoretical framework ...... 3,
3 Phonology ....... 3, 3.1 Vowel inventory ......4, 3.1.1 Vowel lenght ...... 4,
3.2 Consonant inventory ..... 5, 3.2.1 Tone within the noun ..... 6, 3.2.2 Syllable structure within the noun .....7,
4 The noun and the noun class system.....8, 4.1 The noun classes ....8, 4.1.1 Class 1 ....9
4.1.2 Class 2 ......9, 4.1.3 Class 3 ......10, 4.1.4 Class 4 ......10, 4.1.5 Class 5 .....10,
4.1.6 Class 6 ........10, 4.1.7 Class 6a .....10, 4.1.8 Class 7 ......10, 4.1.9 Class 8 .....11,
4.1.10 Class 9 .....11, 4.1.11 Class 10 .....12, 4.1.12 Class 13 ....12, 4.1.13 Class 19 ...12,
4.2 Double class genders .......13, 4.2.1 Gender 1/2 .......14, 4.2.2 Gender 3/6a .....15,
4.2.3 Gender 3/13 ........15, 4.2.4 Gender 5/6 .....15, 4.2.5 Gender 5/13 .......15,
4.2.6 Gender 7/6a ....... 15, 4.2.7 Gender 7/8 ........15, 4.2.8 Gender 9/10 ......16,
4.2.9 Gender 19/6a .......16, 4.3 Less common double class genders ......16,
4.3.1 Genders 3/4~13 and 7/4~13 .........16, 4.3.2 Gender 3/6a ........16,
4.3.3 Gender 7/6 and 7/6a .....16, 4.3.4 Gender 1/10 and 1/13 ......17,
4.3.5 Gender 1~9/2 ..... 17, 4.3.6 Gender 1~9/10 ......17, 4.3.7 Gender 9/2 ......18,
4.4 Single class genders .........18, 4.5 Initial vowel and prefix deletion..........19,
5 The noun phrase and its modifiers ...... 20, 5.1 Associative marker .......20,
5.2 Possessives....21, 5.3 Numerals ..... 23, 5.4 Quantifiers .....24, 5.5 Adjectives ..... 25
5.6 Demonstratives ..... 26, 5.7 Relative clause.....27, 5.8 Structure of the noun phrase ...28
6 Pronouns ......... 28,
7 The verb in Mmen....29, 7.1.1 Verbal morphology...29, 7.1.2 Lexical tone within verbs… 31
8 The verb phrase .......31, 8.1 Subject marker ə in different environments ........32,
8.2 Tense......33, 8.2.1 Present ......34, 8.2.2 P0 ......34, 8.2.3 P1 near past marker fə .....34
8.2.4 P2 ‘yesterday’ past marker a ...... 34, 8.2.5 P3 distant past marker te/tə ........35,
8.2.6 F1 immediate future nə̀ ...... 36, 8.2.7 F2 ‘tomorrow’s’ future nə́ ....... 36,
8.2.8 F3 distant future tə́ ........36, 8.3 Aspect........ 37, 8.3.1 Perfective ......37,
8.3.2 Imperfective ..... 38, 8.3.3 Habitual ...... 39, 8.3.4 Progressive marker with -ndo .......39,
8.4 Other markers..... 39, 8.5 Mood ......40, 8.5.1 Hortative ....40, 8.5.2 Imperative .... 40
8.6 Auxiliary verbs .........41, 8.6.1 Other verbal particles ........42,
8.7 Negation within the verb phrase ........43, 8.7.1 Negation with pá‘à ........43,
8.7.2 Negation with và ....43, 8.7.3 Negation with váyn......43, 8.7.4 Negation with tà’á .... 44
8.7.5 Negation with kə́ ........44,
9 Simple clause structure .......44, 9.1 Questions...... 45,
10 Conclusion ....... 47, References ......... 48
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Entry Number:
52745