AUXILIARY VERBS AS A SUBCATEGORY OF THE VERB IN TSWANA Rigardt Samuel Pretorius, BA, BA Honours, MA, H.E.D. Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Philosophiae Doctor in the Department of African Languages at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education Promotor: Prof. L.C. Posthumus Co-promotor: Prof. C.J.H. Kriiger Potchefstroom 1997 ·ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I sincerely thank the following persons: Professor L.C. Posthumus, my promoter, for patience and constructive scientific guidance amidst a very busy program. Professor C.J.H. Kriiger, my co-promoter, for many hours of his time, his interest in this work, and the privilege of learning from his experience, as well as insight into his manuscript on Tswana grammar which has not yet been published. Dr G.J.G. Vermeulen, the head of our department, and other colleagues, for interest shown in the study and for relieving me of my official workload for six months. It is highly appreciated. Dr C.H. Mackenzie for the language editing of the thesis. Mrs Chandre Barnard and mrs Nelmarie van Staden for assistance with the layout and printing of the thesis. My wife, son and parents for assistance and understanding. All the mother-tongue Tswana speakers with whom I conferred on examples used in this study. Above all, our Lord for health, the opportunity and the ability to attempt and finish this research. PREFACE The term verb includes a compound of meanings as the word class verb has three sub categories, namely: independent verbs, copulative verbs and auxiliary verbs. During the research for the study a problem regarding the appropriate term to be used for specific words in verbal groups arose. The intention is to clarify the position on terms used for these words here, before the study commences. To complicate the problem it has been found that different terms are used by different linguists to refer to the same concept - verbs. Thus Ziervogel (1976:116), Louwrens (1994(c):l 7), Lombard et al. (1985:186) and several others refer to verbs in auxiliary verbal groups as main verbs. Likewise, several studies in Afrikaans refer to these verbs as 'hoofwerkwoorde'. However, there are also other terms used to refer to these verbs, namely: principle verbs, proper verbs, proper main verbs, ordinary verbs, ordinary predicates, etc. The term that has been opted for to refer to verbs is independent verb. This term was chosen because it indicates the syntactical independence of such verbs which are clearly to be separated from auxiliary verbs. The term copulative verbs is clear, and will be retained. In the case of the auxiliary verbs there are also several terms used, however, these terms are explained in chapter three, as the classification of the auxiliary verbs is treated there. ABSTRACT The auxiliary verb in Tswana is the focus of this study. An overview of the research that has been done on the auxiliary verb in Zulu, Sotho and Tswana up to now indicates that there are still a number of issues regarding auxiliary verbs in Tswana that need futher inverstigation. From the assembled bibliography it is clear that the auxiliary verb in Tswana has only been touched upon. Only the studies of Swanepoel (1975) and Kruger (1983) on the auxiliary verbs in Tswana which are exclusively based on linguistic criteria seem to be noteworthy. Before a classification of the auxiliary verb may be attempted, a classification of the verb as word class would be necessary. Insights on concepts like aspect, time and tense and metaphorical mapping, prompted by the development in the study of Bantu languages, have to be utilized in a study on auxiliary verbs. After a discussion of the classificatory principles and criteria of word classes as proposed by Van Wyk (1966), the word classes for Tswana are set out accordingly. It is then shown that the independent verbs, the copulative verbs and the auxiliary verbs are sub categories of the word class verb. Based on this the auxiliary verb is analysed to indicate its sub categories and features. Regarding the origin, meaning and function of auxiliary verbs in Tswana, it is found that they have a metaphorical basis. The semantic values of many auxiliaries in Tswana are derived from verbal counterparts through a process of metaphorical mapping. Certain auxiliaries still show semantic affinity with their verbal counterparts. It is also indicated that this affinity is morphologically and syntactically related to the sub-classes/categories identified in the classification of the auxiliaries. The grammatical categories of the verb are then discussed, and the mutual relationship between auxiliary verbs and mood, tense and aspect is pointed out. It is apparent from the classification of the auxiliary verbs in Tswana that a significant number of them have a semantic significance to logical time and tense. The aspectual values of the complementary verb (in certain instances) in auxiliary verbal groups, in the relative tenses, where the future and past tenses are indicated by the auxiliary verb, are pointed out. To conclude the study, the auxiliary verbal groups are described with respect to their syntactic and valentional features. All auxiliary verbs are then discussed individually regarding the semantic values they display in discourse. OPSOMMING Die hulpwerkwoord in Tswana is die fokus van hierdie studie. Uit 'n oorsig oor afgehandelde navorsing i.v.m. die hulpwerkwoord in Zoeloe, Sotho en Tswana kom aan die lig dat daar steeds vraagstukke rondom hierdie tema bestaan wat verdere studie verg. V anuit die saamgestelde bibliografie is dit duidelik dat die hulpwerkwoord in Tswana nog net oppervlakkig bestudeer is. Slegs die studies van Swanepoel (1975) en Kriiger (1983) oor die hulpwerkwoord in Tswana is noemenswaardig, en was op suiwer linguistiese kriteria gebasseer. Alvorens daar voorgegaan word met die klassifikasie van die hulpwerkwoord is noodsaaklik dat die klassifikasie van die werkwoord eers bevredigend hanteer word. Nuwe insigte wat in die ontwikkeling van die Bantoetale na vore gebring is m.b.t. die studietereine van aspek, tempus, tyd en die sogenaamde 'metaphorical mapping' is belangrik by 'n studie van die hulpwerkwoord aangesien dit talle raakvlakke met hierdie studievelde het. Na 'n bespreking van die klassifikasieprinsipes en kriteria vir woord identifikasie en - klassifikasie soos voorgestel deur Van Wyk (1966) word die woordklasse vir Tswana daarvolgens weergegee. Daar word dan aangetoon dat die selfstandige werkwoord, kopulatiewe werkwoord en die hulpwerkwoord, sub-kategoriee van die werkwoord is. Gebaseer hierop en m.b.v. die klassifikasie kriteria van Van Wyk word die hulpwerkwoord verder ontleed en sy sub-kategoriee aangetoon. Rakende die oorsprong, betekenis en funksie van hulpwerkwoorde word die metaforiese basis as oorsprong van 'n groep hulpwerkwoorde vanaf werkwoorde aangetoon. Dit is duidelik dat die semantiese waardes van 'n groot aantal hulpwerkwoorde in Tswana, van werkwoorde afgelei is. Hierdie ooreenkoms word duidelik weerspieel in die sub-kategoriee waarin die hulpwerkwoord verdeel/geklassifiseer is. Die grammatikale kategoriee van die werkwoord word dan bespreek en die rol van die hulpwerkwoord by die aanduiding van modus, tempus en tyd word aangedui. Uit die klassifikasie van die hulpwerkwoorde in Tswana is dit opvallend dat 'n groot aantal van hulle semanties met logiese tyd en tempus verband hou. Die aspektuele waarde van sekere komplementere werkwoorde in hulpwerkwoordgroepe waar die toekomende en verlede tyd deur die hulpwerkwoord aangedui word, word uitgewys. Ten slotte word die hulpwerkwoordgroepe in terme van hulle sintaktiese en valensionele kenmerke bespreek.. Daarna word elke hulpwerkwoord individueel bespreek t.o.v. sy semantiese waarde in die diskoers. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 ........••....•...•......••......•...........••......•.•....••......••.............•.........•.......•..•...•••...•.........•• 1 CO NTEXTUALIZA.TI 0 N •.................••...•......•................•...........................••.....................•....• 1 1.1 CONTEXTUALIZA.TION AND STATEMENT OF PROBLEMError! Bookmark not defined 1.2 AIMS.•.•.•••...••.......•...••.••.••.....•......•...•.•.•.....••••.•...•...•...•............•.....•.....•..••......•...••.•.•..•......•. 4 1.3 THESIS STATEMENT..............•••..•......•....•...........•..........................................•...•............ 5 1.4 METHOD OF RESEARCH .•.......••.......•................•.•.......•............•...•...............•..•••......•.... 5 CHAPTER 2 ............•••..•••••...•••....•.........••.•..•..•.....•...•...........................•..•••...........•..•..••.......•.... 7 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW .•••.•••••............••...•.........•..............•..........•...•...••.....•....•...•.......•.... 7 2.1 INTRODUCTION •....••......•..............•..•••.....•..................•..•.......••...•.......•...••..................•.... 7 2.2 THE VIEWS OF DIFFERENT SCHOLARS ON THE AUXILIARY VERB IN ZULU......••..•.•...•........•..........................•.......•.......•....................................••....... 7 2.2.1 Ziervogel ............................................................................................................................ 7 2.2.2 Van Eeden ............................................................. ................................................ ............ 9 2.2.3 Doke ................................................................................................................................ 10 2.2.4 Fortune .........................................................