A semantic analysis of Lubukusu cut and break verbs

Abstract

This paper analyses the separation events, as manifested in the cut and break verbs in Lubukusu. This is done with a particular  reference  to the intention behind the separation, the instrument used  in the disintegrating event and the manner in which the Cutting  and  Breaking events are expressed in Lubukusu. Video recordings  of activities involving separation were compiled and presented to  selected  Lubukusu native speakers. Discourses on the various types  of verbs used to describe the separation of fruits/crops from their  trees/plants, separation events involving animals, people and items  such as paper and clothes were also recorded. The corpora of the  separation events were organized and grouped using the Bohnemeyer  elicitation tool. Out of the 100 verbs of Cut and Break that were  collected, the study systematically sampled 30 CUT verbs and 20  BREAK verbs. The study shows that meanings of Lubukusu CUT  and  BREAK verbs can either be constricted or widened contextually  to suit the use. The paper contributes to the existing studies on CUT  and  BREAK verbs, and in the formulation of further cross-linguistic  generalizations on this topic.