Abstract
The authors argue that the synchronic variation of cognate objects of weather verbs exhibited in six African languages of South Africa (Sepedi, Sesotho, Tshivenda, isiXhosa, Xitsonga, and isiZulu) has a diachronic explanation, and may be represented as a grammaticalization path. This path gradually leads from prototypical cognate objects that disallow object agreement (pronominalization) and promotion to subjects in passive constructions to prototypical objects where both agreement (pronominalization) and promotion are grammatical. This provides further support for the modelling of cognate objects, adjuncts and arguments in terms of a continuum and for a gradient view of syntactic categories, in general.
Highlights
Since grammatical “changes are always manifested in synchronic variation” (Andersen 2001: 228), synchronic variation often allows for a diachronic interpretation
This note deals with the synchronic variation of cognate objects (CO) of weatherverbs attested across six African languages of South Africa (Sepedi, Sesotho, Tshivenda, isiZulu, Xitsonga and isiXhosa), and its reinterpretation in terms of a diachronic development
We propose that the variation attested in the six African languages reveals a grammaticalization path
Summary
Since grammatical “changes are always manifested in synchronic variation” (Andersen 2001: 228), synchronic variation often allows for a diachronic interpretation. From a cross-linguistic perspective, weather verbs typically lack proper participants They tend to be construed with no reference to external and/or internal arguments, i.e. subject and object. The method adopted in this study consists of testing the COs of weather verbs in the six African languages of South Africa for the three syntactic object diagnostics: position, pronominalization / agreement, and promotion in passives. This will reveal to what extent the analyzed COs are prototypical objects (the three criteria are met) or prototypical COs (only the first criterion is met).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
