The grammatical structure of Zulu

Abstract

SYNOPSIS This is an attempt to apply strictly the criterion of form, in order to give an alternative to the traditional “form and function” analysis of Zulu. The author is therefore following the school of Guthrie rather than that of Doke. The main distinction is seen to be between nominals and verbals, as defined by Prof. Guthrie. Nominals belong either to a short series where the root is found with a limited range of prefixes (independent nominals or nouns), or to a long series where the root is found with the full range of prefixes or concords (dependent nominals, which are formally subdivided into pronouns, adjectives, and also demonstratives). There is a third type of nominal falling outside the system of grammatical agreement; this is subdivided into adverbs and conjunctions. In this analysis adverbs constitute a form‐class and not a meaning‐class, so that many words traditionally regarded as “adverbs” are here regarded either as nouns or as inflected nominals. “Possessives” are also regarded as inflected nominals. For the same reason, words traditionally treated as “conjunctives” are here treated as conjunctions, conjunctive adverbs and deficient verbs. Copulative nouns and nominals are not regarded as constituting a part of speech by themselves, either verbal or nominal, and a parallel is drawn between copulative nominals (nominals used verbally) and relative verbs (verbs used nominally). The wide range of verbal inflections is not considered in detail, but an outline is given.