The external arguments of weather verbs in Northern Sotho

Abstract

This article investigates the nature and occurrence of external arguments of weather verbs in Northern Sotho, with specific reference to the unaccusative hypothesis. Weather verbs are unaccusative. Their surface structure subject originates as a direct object in the deep structure. Weather verbs tend to select weather nouns as external arguments. They also appear with the null subject meaningfully in a way that no other verb can. Often the external argument and the verb incorporate each other.