Browsing by Author "Morapedi, Setumile"
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Item Passive constructions in Setswana: Argument structure alternations from Lexical Mapping Theory perspective(University of Namibia, 2018) Morapedi, SetumileThe paper analyses passive constructions in Setswana from morpho-syntactic view point, showing that the suffixation of a passive morpheme to the verb reduces the argument structure of the verb. Previous studies carried out in Setswana verbal suffixes have confined their investigations to these morphemes as elements of morphology but have failed to observe that these affixes overlap into syntax. Chebanne (1996) observes that in Setswana, verbal extensions can combine with a single verbal base but fail to observe the overlap into syntax. Further, the studies do not give any insight in the features that Setswana shares with other Bantu languages. The passive construction in Setswana, like in other Bantu languages, is a bit complex in the sense that the verbal extension –iw brings into effect the dropping of the subject, and the object becomes the grammatical subject, thus rendering the transitive verb, such as, apaya ‘cook’ intransitive. Conversely, other derivational suffixes, such as applicative and causative, increase the verb’s arguments by two. For instance, the suffixation of the verbal suffix –el suggests an entity carrying out the action and somebody benefiting. The paper also compares passive with other verbal extensions such as neuter, applicative, causatives and reciprocals. It shows that while the passive occurs with most verbs and other verbal extensions, such as, applicative or causative suffixes, the neuter is rigid in occurring with other verbal extensions. The paper also appeals to Lexical Mapping Theory, whose role is to constrain mapping relations between thematic roles, such as an agent or patient and the corresponding grammatical functions, such as the subject, patient and oblique that have been subcategorized for by predicatesItem The syntax of Object shift in Early Modern English (EME): A principle and parameters approach(University of Namibia, 2018) Morapedi, SetumileThe paper analysed object shift constructions in Early Modern English or the English of the Shakespearean time. This follows conflicting views on the order of the Verb and Object during this time. One group of researchers argued that both Object Verb (OV) and Verb Object (VO) were available as underlying orders in Old English as well as Middle English, while another group held the view that English had undergone some change in underlying word order from OV to VO. I argue, from the perspective of Principles and Parameters theory, developed by Chomsky (1993) that the surface OV order can be derived from the underlying VO through leftward movement rule (s) applying to the object. I have appealed to Principles and Parameters Theory because the theory assumes that the shifting of the object is determined by its strength, and thus moves leftwards. Principles and Parameters theory maintains that grammatical differences between languages can be characterized in terms of a restricted set of parameters.