'To be (with)' or 'to have'? A case for grammaticalisation in Northern Sotho

Abstract

The associative copulative in Northern Sotho distinguishes itself from other copulatives in that it is realised in a variety of morphological structures. In this article the relationship, whether synchronic or diachronic, between these different manifestations is investigated and it is argued that these different forms actually represent different stages in a process of grammaticalization. Possible links with other homophonous forms are also focussed upon. Central to the issue at thand is the semantic relationship between subject and complement in associative copulatives. It is argued that the primary relationship expressed by these copulatives is one of association, with the notion of possession being a secondary relationship.


Die assosierende kopulatief van Noord-Sotho verskil van ander kopulatiewe in die taal deurdat did morfologies verskillend manifesteer. In hierdie artikel word die verhouding, hetsy sinchronies of diachronies, tussen hierdie verskillende manifestasies ondersoek, en word daar geargumenteer dat die verskillende vorme in werklikheid verskillende stadiums in 'n grammatikaliseringsproses verteenwoordig. Moontlike verbintenesse met ander homofone vorme word ook ondersoek. Sentraal binne hierdie ondersoek staan die semantiese relasie tussen subjek en komplementin assosierende kopulatiewe. Daar word geargumenteer dat die primere verhouding wat deur hierdie kopulatief uitdruk word, een van assosiasie is, met die gedagte van besitting as 'n sekondere verhouding.


(S/ern Af Linguistics & Applied Language Stud: 2003 21(3): 169-181)