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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | A comparison of the interaction of pronominals and word order in Naro and G//ana |
Authors: | Letsholo, Rose Saul, Isaac |
Year: | 2015 |
Periodical: | Language Matters: Studies in the Languages of Africa (ISSN 1753-5395) |
Volume: | 46 |
Issue: | 2 |
Pages: | 222-248 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Botswana |
Subjects: | grammar Naro language Gxana language |
External link: | https://doi.org/10.1080/10228195.2015.1045012 |
Abstract: | This article compares Person-Gender-Number (PGN) markers, the pronoun system and word order in declaratives in Naro and G//ana, two languages of Botswana. These languages are similar in that (a) nouns are marked for person, gender and number; (b) both have complex pronoun systems; (c) the plural and dual categories distinguish inclusive from exclusive pronouns; (d) main lexical items in both languages can be focused through fronting. They differ in that G//ana NPs are marked for nominative and oblique case through the PGN marker, while in Naro this is not so. In Naro if constituents are re-ordered, the PGN marker of the fronted constituent hosts the PGN marker of the subject NP, thus identifying the subject. The use of pronouns in a sentence impacts word order at sentential level in Naro but not in G//ana. PGN markers are obligatory for subjects only in G//ana. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract] |