Table Of ContentA RECONSTRUCTION OF THE PROTO-RUTARA TENSEYASPECT SYSTEM
by
Henry R.T. Muzaie
A thesis submitted to the
School of Graduate Studies
in partial fulfilment of the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
Ll3KXJlSIICS DEPARTMENT
MEMONAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND
June 1998
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A RECONSTRUCTION
THE PROTO-RUTARA
TENSEIASPECT SYSTEM
ABSTRACT
This study begins by locating the Rutara subgroup in the major group of Lacustrine,
and by showing its intemal relationships, lexicostatistically, phonologically, lexically, and
morphologicaily. Al1 these show that Rutara is a coherent linguistic group that originates
fiom one common ancestral language labelled as Proto-Rutara Out of this have evolved
most of the differences that distinguish its daughter languages today. Following the
classification of Rutara languages, a basic description of the tenselaspect (UA) systems for
eight languages of the group is presented. The description takes a cognitive approach, partly
stemming fiom Guillaume's concept of chronogenesis (which concems the mental t h e
image and stratification of the development of verbal systems fiom simple to more complex
forms), in the light of historical and comparative linguistics. Thus, the description has two
levels: first, the andysis of the basic meanings of various T/A formatives, fiom simple foms
to complex and compound marken, which constitute various T/A systems in the eight sample
languages studied and second, a comparative study of these formatives and markers across
the group. The analysis surveys and reveals both the basic as well as the extended functions
of the formatives, fiom a morphosemantic, morphosyntactic, and cognitive point of view.
Consequently, the study proposes the levels at which the development of T/A in the Rutara
languages exists.
From the cognitive point of view, the mechanisms behind the apparent asymmetry
found, for instance, in the markers for Past and Future tenses, as well as in the Persistive and
Progressive aspects are explained. Similady, various cognitive and psychosemantic reasons
for the innovation of different T/A markers, and reasons for combining simple formatives to
create complex markers are also established. It is argued that these processes led to the
mechanism of recycling and reassigning formatives in terms of their bctions, alongside
phonological, morphological and semantic changes in the system(s). These complex and
recycled verbal systems have created a number of distinctive tenses and aspects, most of
which are characterised by morphological syncretism. Finally, the Proto-Rutara T/A system
is reconstructed. This study thus shows how different markers have developed diachronically
into their contemporary foms.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The list of people who helped or assisted me in various ways is so enormous that 1
cannot mention everyone. However, 1 must gratefully mention the following, in relation to
this thesis: fvsf my supervisor, Dr. Derek Nurse and the membea of the supervisory
cornmittee, Drs. Aleks Steiobergs and Vit Bubenik and, second, Adam O.H. Korogoto, Dr.
John Hewson and Dr. Josephat M. Rugemalim 1 also acknowledge the support 1 got from
Sarah Rose, Christa Beaudoin-Lietz, Dr. Harold Paddock, Towhid bin Muzzafar, Dr. Sandra
Clarke, Dr. Irene Mazurkewich, and Balla F.Y.P. Masele. Also, the names of Colleen
Banfieid, Lawrence Greening, and Drs. Carrie Dyck and C.M.R ubagumya have a place in
my memory for their contribution. 1 would also like to thank both the University of Dar es
Salaam, the School of Graduate Studies of the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and
the Canadian Bureau for International Education for their financial support.
Finally, I have special thanks to my family, my wife Consolatha, my daughter Bibe
Henrietta, and al1 others: I cannot fmd appropriate words to express my feelings. We dl
know how tough it has Seen for al1 these years; so, let us pray for a happy and prosperous
reunion. Lady, to the beloved ones who passed away, my mother Gaudencia and my best
fnend Benedict M. Barongo, and others: may you ail rest in peace; 1 wish you had lived
longer to see this ending.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
...
Abstract
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acknowledgments ..................................................... -v-
Tableofcontents ...................................................... 4-
...
Listoftables .......................................................... mil-
Listoffigures ........................................................ -xv-
Symbols and abbreviations ............................................. -d-
Notational conventions ............................................... -xvi.*i*i -
.-.
VoweIs ...................................................... -xviii-
...
Consonants ................................................... -xviii-
...
Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - x w i i -
Liquid sounds .................................................. -xix-
Bantu language names ........................................... -xix-
CHAPTER ONE .................................................... 1
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................. 1
1.1. Introduction ................................................ 1
1.2. The linguistic area under study ................................. 2
1.3. Airnsofthestudy ............................................ 7
1 -4. Significance of the study ...................................... 7
1.5. Methodology .............................................. !O
1 S. 1. nie phonological component ............................ 1 1
1.5.2. The morphologicai component .......................... 1 1
1.6. Data ..................................................... 12
1.7. Scopeofthestudy .......................................... 15
1.8. Theoretical framework ....................................... 16
1- 8.1. Theoretical background ................................ 17
1.8.2. The functional approach ................................ 19
1.8.3. The cognitive approach ................................ 22
..............................
1.8.4. D e m gt ense and aspect 28
1.8.5. Chronogenetic stages of tensehspect ...................... 34
1.8.6. Changes and development of T/A ........................ 42
CHAPTER TWO ................................................... 48
2 . FROM PROTO-BANTU TO R'UTARA ...............................4 8
2.1. Introduction ............................................... 48
2.2. Defining Rutara lexicaily ..................................... 49
2.3. Defining Rutara phonologically ................................ 57
2.3.1. Phonologicai inventories ............................... 58
2.3.2. Phonetic changes and phonologicai innovations ............. 65
2.3.3. Verbal lexical tone .................................... 73
2.3.4. Other phonological factors .............................. 79
2.4. Conclusion ................................................ 81
CHAPTER TJ3REX ..................... .. ......................... 83
3 . BASICMORPHOLOGY ........................................... 83
3.1. Introduction ............................................... 83
3.2. Theverb .................................................. 84
3.2.1. Theverb'be' ........................................ 84
3.2.2. Verbal Unit .......................................... 86
3.3. Nominalmarkers .......................................... 100
3.3.1. Nominal class markers ................................ 100
3.3.2. Pronominal markers (+human) ......................... 102
3.4. TIAmarkers .............................................. 104
3.4.1. The Perfect (-ire) .................................... 107
[HRT- MuzaieJ -vii-
Theoretical problems ....................................... 109
3.5.1. Morphology ........................................ 109
3.5.2. Tone .............................................. 112
Conclusion ............................................. 113
CHAPTER FOUR ................................................. 115
4. ASPECTS ..................................................... 115
4.1. introduction ............................................. 115
4.2. The temporal structure of T/A ................................ 116
4.3. The formulation of T/A systems .............................. 123
4.4. Types of aspectual formatives ................................ 124
4.5. Aspectual categories ....................................... 129
4.5.1. The basic unmarked form ............................. 129
4.5.2. Perfect, Perfective and Imperfective ..................... 132
4.5.3. Performative ........................................ 138
4.5.4. Resultative ......................................... 141
4.5.5. Retrospective ....................................... 144
4.5.6. Progressive .........................................1 51
4.5.7. Persistive .......................................... 155
4.5.8. Habitua1 ........................................... 159
4.6. Multiple aspects ........................................... 163
4.7. Conclusion ............................................... 165
CHAPTER FIVE .................................................. 170
5 . m S E S . ...................................................... 170
5.1. introduction .............................................. 170
5.2. Tense categories ........................................... 172
........................................
5.2.1. Remote fast 172
[HRT-M ual e] -viii-
5.2.2. Near Past .......................................... 1 74
5.2.3. Memonal Present .................................... 179
5.2.4. Experiential Present .................................. 181
5.2.5. Near Future ........................................ 182
5.2.6. Remote Future ...................................... 187
Conclusion ............................................... 190
CHAPTER SIX .................................................... 195
6 . RECONSTRUCTION ......................................,.. .... 195
6.1. Introduction .............................................. 195
6.2. Categories and formatives ................................... 198
6.3. From reflexes to proto-forms ................................. 200
6.3.1. Near Past .......................................... 201
6.3.2. Mernorial Present .................................... 204
6.3.3. Progressive ......................................... 205
6.3.4. NearFuture ........................................ 209
6.3 .5 . Remote Future ...................................... 212
6.3. 6. Perfonnative, Perfect, Perfective, and Resultative .......... 213
6.3. 7 . Retrospectives ......................................2 13
6.3.8. Remote Past ........................................2 15
6.3.9. Persistive .......................................... 222
6.3.10. Habituai .......................................... 224
The Proto-Rutara tensehspect system .......................... 225
Retentions, innovations and shifts ............................. 227
6.5.1. Diachronie extension of tenses ......................... 227
6.5.2. The Progressive marker {-ri-ku-. ..a ) .................... 229
6.5.3. Near Future ........................................ 232
Extemalinfluence ......................................... 234
