Valency of the Kikamba Verb

Wambua, Brenda M. (2001) Valency of the Kikamba Verb. Masters thesis, Kenyatta University.

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Abstract

This study is an investigation into the valency of the Kikamba verb. The idea of valency is based on the concept of the centrality of the verb in all natural languages. The study examined the valency of both the basic and derived verbs. The valency of a particular verb was determined by describing the valency structure each verb fits in. The verbs used in this study were gathered from a Kikamba story book and the Kikamba bible. Using native speaker intuition, the researcher constructed sentences using the verbs and made use of the method of describing valency structures used in Allerton (1932) for the analysis of data. Our analysis of the data revealed that the valency of the basic verb is closely related to its transitivity such that one can predict the valency of a particular verb on the basis of its transitivity status. Hence “weather verbs”, verbs with no elaborator are zero-valent while intransitive verbs are monovalent. Monotransitive verbs are divalent whereas ditransitive verbs are tetravalent. Derived verbs with the applicative or the causative affixes are one valency higher than the basic verb while the stative and the passive derived verbs are one valency lower than the basic verb. It was also noted that the valency increasing affixes can occur together in one verb while the valency reducing affixes cannot. As such, the valency of the Kikamba verb can be increased twice but cannot be reduced twice even when the basic valency is three. Of the four affixes used in our study, only the applied affix can double or even treble on one verb. Though double causation can be expressed in Kikamba; this is done by use of bi-clausal structures. We also noted that when a basic intransitive verb with an optional locative NP is derived using the valency increasing affixes, the locative NP becomes obligatory. Basic zero-valent verbs in Kikamba do not pattern with the valency reducing affixes since verb valency cannot be reduced below zero. The zero-valent verbs, however, can take two applied affixes and the resulting derived verb is accompanied by a cognate elaborator in the subject position which becomes obligatory when tile verb is derived. Finally, we observed that the stative affix is the most restricted of the affixes examined, it only occurs with verbs that have at least two elaborators. The study is divided into five chapters. Chapter one provides background information on the concept of valency, states the problem and outlines the research design and the theoretical framework used in this study. Chapter two is an examination of related literature both in English and Kikamba. Chapter three describes the valency of the basic verb while chapter four tackles the valency of the derived verb. Chapter five includes a summary of our findings and conclusions.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics P Language and Literature > PE English P Language and Literature > PL Languages and literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	Tim Khabala
Date Deposited:	15 Mar 2018 07:32
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2018 07:32
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/3544

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