Grammar Rules for the isiZulu Complex Verb

Grammar Rules for the isiZulu Complex Verb

Author: 
Keet, C. Maria
Place: 
Oxon
Publisher: 
Taylor & Francis Group
Date published: 
2017
Record type: 
Responsibility: 
Khumalo, Langa, jt. author
Journal Title: 
Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies
Source: 
Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2, 2017, pp. 183-200
Abstract: 

The isiZulu verb is known for its morphological complexity, which is a subject of on-going linguistics research, as well as for prospects of computational use, such as controlled natural language interfaces, machine translation and spellcheckers. To this end, we seek to answer the question as to what the precise grammar rules for the isiZulu complex verb are (and, by extension, the Bantu verb morphology). To this end, we iteratively specify the grammar as a Context-Free Grammar, and evaluate it computationally. The grammar presented in this paper covers the subject and object concords, negation, present tense, aspect, mood, and the causative, applicative, stative, and the reciprocal verbal extensions, politeness, the wh-question modifiers, and aspect doubling, ensuring their correct order as they appear in verbs. The grammar conforms to specification.

Language: 
Country focus: 

CITATION: Keet, C. Maria. Grammar Rules for the isiZulu Complex Verb . Oxon : Taylor & Francis Group , 2017. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, Vol. 35, No. 2, 2017, pp. 183-200 - Available at: https://library.au.int/grammar-rules-isizulu-complex-verb