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Difference between revisions of "Noun Phrases in Runyankore-Rukiga"

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by [[User:Allen Asiimwe|Allen Asiimwe]]
 
by [[User:Allen Asiimwe|Allen Asiimwe]]
 
  
 
== '''This page is under construction''' ==
 
== '''This page is under construction''' ==
  
  
Studies on the structure of the noun phrase in several Bantu languages have been done. Some of these languages include: Kagulu (Petzell 2008), Matengo (Ndomba 2006), Ngoni (Ngonyani 2003), Nyambo (Rugemalira 2005), Swahili (Krifka 1985), Herero (Elderkin 2003) etc. However, from the literature that I have come across, no reference is made to the noun phrase in any of Ugandan Bantu languages. And yet, there are indications that the structure of the noun phrase across Bantu languages varies from language to language. Therefore the focus now is on Runyankore-Rukiga noun phrase, a Bantu language spoken in the South-western part of Uganda with approximately four million speakers. Once in a while, reference will be made to some other selected Ugandan Bantu languages, as way of comparing the structure of the noun phrase with those selected languages. Of importance is also the semantics of the noun dependent elements; is there a shift in meaning once the flexible elements are altered? This is a crucial question which this analysis will pay attention to, since most of the literature available on the Bantu noun phrase seem to ignore it.
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Studies on the structure of the noun phrase in several Bantu languages have been done. Some of these languages are: Kagulu (Petzell 2008), Matengo (Ndomba 2006), Ngoni (Ngonyani 2003), Nyambo (Rugemalira 2005), Swahili (Krifka 1985), Herero (Elderkin 2003). However, as from the literature that I have come across, no reference is made to the noun phrase in any of Bantu languages spoken in Uganda. And yet,there are indications that the structure of the noun phrase across Bantu languages varies from language to language, and that, in order to obtain a full picture of the Bantu noun phrase, more Bantu languages should be included into the sample of studied languages.  
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Here the focus is on Runyankore-Rukiga, a Bantu language spoken in the South-western part of Uganda with approximately four million speakers. Once in a while, reference will be made to some other selected Ugandan Bantu languages, as way of comparing the structure of the noun phrase with those selected languages.  
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The question that I will address is this squid is whether a shift in the positions of elements within the noun phrase will change the meaning of the noun phrase as a whole.
  
 
'''Elements in the Runyankore-Rukiga noun phrase'''
 
'''Elements in the Runyankore-Rukiga noun phrase'''
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<Phrase>12865</Phrase>
 
<Phrase>12865</Phrase>
  
 
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==References==
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Petzell 2008
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Ndomba 2006
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Ngonyani 2003
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Krifka 1985
 +
Elderkin 2003
  
  

Revision as of 16:33, 18 November 2010

by Allen Asiimwe

This page is under construction

Studies on the structure of the noun phrase in several Bantu languages have been done. Some of these languages are: Kagulu (Petzell 2008), Matengo (Ndomba 2006), Ngoni (Ngonyani 2003), Nyambo (Rugemalira 2005), Swahili (Krifka 1985), Herero (Elderkin 2003). However, as from the literature that I have come across, no reference is made to the noun phrase in any of Bantu languages spoken in Uganda. And yet,there are indications that the structure of the noun phrase across Bantu languages varies from language to language, and that, in order to obtain a full picture of the Bantu noun phrase, more Bantu languages should be included into the sample of studied languages.

Here the focus is on Runyankore-Rukiga, a Bantu language spoken in the South-western part of Uganda with approximately four million speakers. Once in a while, reference will be made to some other selected Ugandan Bantu languages, as way of comparing the structure of the noun phrase with those selected languages.

The question that I will address is this squid is whether a shift in the positions of elements within the noun phrase will change the meaning of the noun phrase as a whole.

Elements in the Runyankore-Rukiga noun phrase

A Runyankore-Rukiga noun dependents include numerals, adjectives, quantifiers, relative pronouns, demonstratives and possessives.


Enkyende emwe empango eriya
“That one monkey which is big”
Enkyende
enkyende
IV9monkey
N
emwe
emwe
9one
QUANT
empango
enpango
99big
ADJ
eriya
eriya
9DISTPART
DEM


References

Petzell 2008 Ndomba 2006 Ngonyani 2003 Krifka 1985 Elderkin 2003