Abstract
D.Litt. et Phil. (African Languages)
The change in function of word categories is a widespread
phenomenon in Zulu and can be indicated across the whole
spectrum of language elements. The dynamic developing
nature of the language entails that units may shift upwards
or downwards within the hierarchy, resulting in their
assuming either a higher or lower rank.
The so-called "class prefix" of class 2a is typified as a
specialised and rank shifted variant of the emphatic pronoun
bona on account of its syntactic and semantic
characteristics. The class prefix of class 1a has not yet
completely passed through the development process from Ur-Bantu
*Ta and currently shows charateristics of both copula
and class prefix. Various other affixes of the noun such
as, inter alia, the diminutive suffix and prefixes such as
{-50-} and {~nga-} originated from former nouns and verbal
stems.
A 1arge degree of interaction occurs between pronouns and
other word categories. The (abbreviated) demonstrative
pronoun a functions as relative pronoun in establishing
relative constructions. The verbal suffix {-yo} which
functions in verbal relative constructions as nominaliser
and with an emphatic semantic value also originated from a
pronoun. A few pronouns from the locative classes may
function as (auxiliary) verb stems while others serve as
"conjunct ions". The distance indicating suffixes of the
demonstrative pronouns, with the retention of significance,
are employed in other word categori es such as adverbs and
interjective demonstratives. Category shifting, therefore,
also occurs on the level of morphemes.
A mutual underlying composition is disclosed for all
relative constructions (verbal and nominal) as consisting of
the relative pronoun a as introductory member followed by a
complement in the relative mood. This postulation makes
provision for the occurence of a underlying copulative verb
stem *-(1)i in the relative and situative moods. In the
indicative the negative auxiliary verb stem -si is regarded
as (underlying) part of the copulative construction.
Various particle words such as the connective na and the
instrumental nga, the hortative particles (m)a and A(ke),
certain "conjunctions" such as uma and qede, the particles
be and se and certain enclitic particles find their origin
in verbs. It has been indicated within the category 'verb'
that the aspectual morphemes originated in former verb
stems. Certain verbs can be lowered in rank with specific
morphological and semantic changes and then function as
auxiliary verb stems. In certain cases the auxiliary verb
stems can shift upwards in rank by morphematic elision of
the concordial morpheme and be employed as autonomous
"conjunctions".
Adverbs are mainly derived from other word categories in
that noun class prefixes function as adverbial prefixes.
The adverbial prefix {ka-} is reduced to the obsolete class
13 of Ur-Bantu which contained mainly diminutive words as
well as words with an adverbial significance. The morpheme
{-ka} whi ch occurs in words such as kangaka originated in
the demonstrative pronoun of this class, namely lakha.
Ideophones show formal, semantic and syntatic similarities
with verbs and are typified in principle as the complement
of the auxiliary verb stem -thi.