A study of the predicate in its relationship to the subject, object and adjunct in Zulu

Field: Arts and Humanities (Social Sciences)

Thj.s work is a synchronic study of syntax in Zulu and \nhas its as central theme, verb-noun relations. In these \nrelations.~hree phenomena were found to be important, \n(A) The liaison semantic features (LSFs) \n(B) word-order as shown by nouns in relation to the verb \n(C) Transitivity \n(A ) 'l'he LS Fs \nThe noun may be the subject, object or adjunct depending \non the function it has taken up. These functional terms subject, object and adjunct are more concerned with structural \nsegments of a sentence rather than.semantic relationship of \nsegments. Con,aequently a sem1.mtic model of ,,SFs showing the \nsemat1tic-relaticmal features of nouns, is evolved. Such \nfeatures are determined by the kind of verb used. The major \nLSFs are: \n(a) Agentive / r.nstrumental \n(bl Patient/ Factive \nIt is realised that if the semantic content of the relationship \nis left out, the study of a sentence is bound to suffer from \nexplanatory in adequacy. \n(B) The Ordering of nouns in relation to the verb \nThe ordering of nouns is only achieved by front shifting and back-shifting <:J e.g. a noun occurring post-verbally \nis shifted to the front so that it occured before the verb: \n\\lshaya .tnkom6 (he hits a cow) \nV:LJ.l - \n1nkom6, uyayishaya (*the cow, he hits it) \n'l'he noun occurring bcfon::, the vci-b n1<,y bo shifted to the \nback as in \n\\~mf6na uy,1h1c1.mba ( the boy is walking) vs. \nuyahamba umt'ciw, (*he is walking, a boy) \nSuch shifting goes along with focus which expresses prominence. \nThe ordering of nouns may therefore result in: \n(a) a change in the form 01: a noun or verb \n· (b) a change in the meaning of a sentence \nThese two changes are usually concomitant i.e. a change in \nthe form of a sentence is accompanied by a change in its \nmeaning. For the purposes of convenience, the orderings have \nbeen divided into two i.e. primary worid-order (where the \nagentive normally occupies the first slot and the factive \noccupies the second) and secondary word-order (front-shifting \nof the factive and back-shifting of the agentive). Nouns may \ntake adjunct function in these orderings as when their forms \nare inflected, cf. \nt\\rn:Cclna 1.'ivela esikoleni (the boy comes from school) \ninko:n6 i.:,,,h;,5ywa ngud1fana ( the cow is hit by a boy) \nWhereas some adjuncts have a fixed position, others have a \nflexible position. \n(C) Transitivity \nAnother verb-noun relation is observed in transitivity \nwhich characterises predicate-object relation" transitivity \nhelps identify different kinds of objects: \n(i) Optional object (this is lT mainly a primary object) \n(i.i) Compulsory object (this is mainly a fixed object) \n(iii) Prohibited object (Use object is shifted .out because \nof intransitive use of the verb) \nix - \nAfter the identification of these objects, a number of transitivity structures are established. Th\\:.~se transitive structures \nare established on the types of objects found. \nThe predicates cannot categorically b<~ divided into \ntransitive and intn1nsitive in Zulu. One can accept· that \nsome predicates have a wider choice of objects than others. \nThose predicates which have limited choice of objects have \nthe patient preferring the First slot while the second is \nleft vacant. When the predicate has such a limited choice \nof objects we have semi-transitive structure. Transitivity \nis therefore conveniently divided into: \n(a) Non-transitive: the predicate is used in such a way that \nthe object is prohibited e.g. \nU:-:-1·Cana \\1:x:.:ilusa (the boy herds) \n' Urn.f6:11a. U .i i:ih~ },e (the boy is injured) \nIn the latter example, however, the object. \nmay be added, in which case it becomes \nsemi-transitive. (See below). \n(b) Semi-transitive: the predicate has a limited choice of \nobjects e.g. \nJmfana Jlim6le !dol6 (the boy is injured \nin the knee) \num'.'ana uhambc\\ i:,;r',iela (the boy goes a \njourney) \n(c) Complete transitive: the, predicate has a wide choiice of \nobject.,: t.here an, two sub-divisions here: \n( i) mc,nc)--tr;.,.\\::,; __ s :.i.. ·L :Live:: the pi·.-::~,;< tea. Lf~ takes \non.Ly tl:e µcLnan, object(s) e.g. \na cow) \nX - \n(ii) dj,tranc; i ti.ve: the predicate takes \nthe primary and the secondary objects \ne.g. \n0babd 0n!ka 0mfdna incwadi (father \ngives the boy a book) \nComplete transitivity is mainly measured \nby its capacity of being used in passive \nconstruction i.e. it has the active and \npassive diatheses. \nTransitivity indicates versatility of the predicate in choosing \nits objects: one and the same predicate may be used in structures \nwhich are non-transitive, semi-transitive and complete transitive. In Zulu, extensions play a. big role in transitivity.