'n Diachroniese perspektief op die identifiserende kopulatief in Bantoe

Abstract

A diachronic perspective on the identifying copulative in Bantu. Identifying copulative constructions in Bantu can be classified into three broad categories, viz. nominal copulative structures, copulative structures in which invariable copulative prefixes appear as copulas and copulative structures in which copulative verbs function as copulas. In this article the diachronic relation between these three types of identifying copulatives is investigated. It is indicated that nominal copulative structures represent the prototypical copulative structure in Bantu and that it forms the pragmatic starting point from which other copulative constructions developed. It is further indicated that the development of copulative structures forms part of a process of grammaticalisation, according to which discourse structures are reinterpreted as syntactic structures, with accompanying rise of morphological marking strategies. Identifiserende kopulatiewe strukture in Bantoe kan in drie breë kategorieë geklassifiseer word, te wete nominale kopulatiewe strukture, kopulatiewe strukture waarin onveranderlike kopulatiewe prefikse as kopulas verskyn en kopulatiewe strukture waarin kopulatiewe werkwoorde as kopulatiewe elemente funksioneer. In hierdie artikel word die diachroniese verband tussen hierdie drie tipes identifiserende kopulatiewe ondersoek. Daar word aangetoon dat nominale kopulatiewe strukture die prototipiese kopulatiewe struktuur in Bantoe verteenwoordig en dat dit as pragmatiese beginpunt gedien het waaruit ander kopulatiewe strukture ontwikkel het. Daar word verder geargumenteer dat die ontwikkeling van kopulatiewe strukture deel vorm van 'n grammatikaliseringspro-ses waarvolgens diskoersstrukture tot sintaktiese strukture herinterpreteer word, met die gepaardgaande opkoms van morfologiese markeringstrategieë. (S/ern Af Linguistics & Applied Language Stud: 2001 19(1&2): 83-95