Meaning and Meaning-Extension of the Verb Kata in Kiswahili
Corresponding Author(s) : Devet Goodness
Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS),
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2016)
Abstract
This paper presents an analysis of the verb ‘kata’ in Kiswahili. It examines the semantic
behavior of the verb ‘kata’. It pays attention to the semantic expansion of the verb
‘kata’ when it co-occurs with different nouns to create metaphorical meanings. In this
paper, it is shown that the verb ‘kata’ is extremely productive and allows as many meanings as possible when it co-occurs with different nouns. The findings show that
the semantic features of the verb kata change depending on the features of the
objects, and whether they are in metaphorical or concrete contexts. It is found that
the there is a relationship between the metaphorical meaning obtained in a
combination kata plus noun, and the basic meaning of the verb kata. It was also found
that the different co-occurences between the verb kata and different nouns are rule
governed. The paper argues that metaphors are not a result of violation of selectional
restrictions in a given context as Wilks (1978) argues to be the case, but are a result of
strict semantic rules.
Keywords
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- Abdulaziz, Y. L. 2002. Verbal Extensions in Bantu: The Case of Swahili and Nyamwezi. Department
- of Oriental of African Languages. Africa and Asia No. 2, pp. 426.
- Ahrenberg, L. 1982. An Account of Verbal Derivation in Swahili. Lugha, 2: 3–41 Uppsala. Ashton, E. O. 1944. Swahili Grammar (including intonation): London: Longmans. Guersel, M. K. Hale, M. Laughren, B. Levin & J. White. 1985. A Cross Linguistic Study of Transitivity
- alternations. Proceedings from the Annual Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, 21(2).
- Abdulaziz, Y. L. 2002. Verbal Extensions in Bantu: The Case of Swahili and Nyamwezi. Department
- of Oriental of African Languages. Africa and Asia No. 2, pp. 426.
- Ahrenberg, L. 1982. An Account of Verbal Derivation in Swahili. Lugha, 2: 3–41 Uppsala. Ashton, E. O. 1944. Swahili Grammar (including intonation): London: Longmans. Guersel, M. K. Hale, M. Laughren, B. Levin & J. White. 1985. A Cross Linguistic Study of Transitivity
- alternations. Proceedings from the Annual Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, 21(2).
- Hiba, G. 2012. A Semantic Analysis of ‘Cut’ and ‘Break’ Verbs in Sorani Kurdish. PhD thesis, University of Kansas. Hyman, L. M. 2007. Niger- Congo Verb Extensions: Overview and Discussions; Selected
- Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference on African Languages (ed), Doroth L. Pyne and
- Jaime Pena, 149–163, Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project. University of Carlifonia,
- Berkeley.
- Johnson, F. 1967. Swahili Swahili Dictionary. London: The Sheldon Press. Kiango, G. J. 2003. Syntactic Analysis of Swahili Verbal Expressions. Africa and Asia, 3: 64–90.
- Kibiki, M.J & P. Malangwa. 2010. Mabadiliko ya Maana ya Kitenzi KATA katika Lugha ya Kiswahili.
- Kioo cha Lugha, 8: 25–42. Kibiki. M. John. 2012. Mabadiliko ya Maana Katika Vitenzi vya Kiswahili. Tasnifu ya MA (Kiswahili),
- Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es salaam. Levinson, C. 2007. ‘cut’ and Break Verbs in Yeli Dnye the Papuan Language of Rossel Island.
- Cognitive Linguistics, 18(2):, 207–217. Lupke, F. 2007. Smash It Again, Sam Verbs of Cutting and Breaking in Jalonke. Cognitive Linguistics, 18(2): 251–261. Majid, A. M. Gullberg, M. Van Staden & M. Bowerman. 2007. Howe Similar are Semantic
- Categories in Closely Related Languages. A Comparison of Cutting and Breaking for Germanic
- Languages. Cognitive Linguistics, 18(2): 179–194. Majid, A. J. S. Boster & M. Bowerman. 2008. The Cross Linguistic Categorization of Everyday
- Events, A Study of Cutting and Breaking. Cognition. 109(2): 235–250. Mochiwa Z.S.M. 2007: Kiswahili Verbs, A Lexicographical Challenge. Department of Kiswahili, The
- Open University of Tanzania. Mohamed, A. M. 1998. Kamusi ya Visawe. Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam: East African
- Educational Publishers. Polome, E. C. 1967. Swahili Language Handbook: Washington: Centre for Applied Linguistics. Tobing, S.S. 2010. Semantic Change and Meaning Shift Analysis on Film Making Terms. A Thesis
- for Strata 1 Degree in Linguistics, Di ponegoro University. Ullmann, S. 1957. The Principles of Semantics. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. —. 1962. Semantics: An Introduction to the Science of Meaning. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Wijaya, D. T. & R. Yeniterezi. 2011. Understanding Semantic Change of Words over Centuries. Glasgow, United Kingdom.
- Wilks, Y. 1978. Making Preferences more Active. Artificial Intelligence, 11(3): 197–223
References
Abdulaziz, Y. L. 2002. Verbal Extensions in Bantu: The Case of Swahili and Nyamwezi. Department
of Oriental of African Languages. Africa and Asia No. 2, pp. 426.
Ahrenberg, L. 1982. An Account of Verbal Derivation in Swahili. Lugha, 2: 3–41 Uppsala. Ashton, E. O. 1944. Swahili Grammar (including intonation): London: Longmans. Guersel, M. K. Hale, M. Laughren, B. Levin & J. White. 1985. A Cross Linguistic Study of Transitivity
alternations. Proceedings from the Annual Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, 21(2).
Abdulaziz, Y. L. 2002. Verbal Extensions in Bantu: The Case of Swahili and Nyamwezi. Department
of Oriental of African Languages. Africa and Asia No. 2, pp. 426.
Ahrenberg, L. 1982. An Account of Verbal Derivation in Swahili. Lugha, 2: 3–41 Uppsala. Ashton, E. O. 1944. Swahili Grammar (including intonation): London: Longmans. Guersel, M. K. Hale, M. Laughren, B. Levin & J. White. 1985. A Cross Linguistic Study of Transitivity
alternations. Proceedings from the Annual Meeting of the Chicago Linguistic Society, 21(2).
Hiba, G. 2012. A Semantic Analysis of ‘Cut’ and ‘Break’ Verbs in Sorani Kurdish. PhD thesis, University of Kansas. Hyman, L. M. 2007. Niger- Congo Verb Extensions: Overview and Discussions; Selected
Proceedings of the 37th Annual Conference on African Languages (ed), Doroth L. Pyne and
Jaime Pena, 149–163, Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project. University of Carlifonia,
Berkeley.
Johnson, F. 1967. Swahili Swahili Dictionary. London: The Sheldon Press. Kiango, G. J. 2003. Syntactic Analysis of Swahili Verbal Expressions. Africa and Asia, 3: 64–90.
Kibiki, M.J & P. Malangwa. 2010. Mabadiliko ya Maana ya Kitenzi KATA katika Lugha ya Kiswahili.
Kioo cha Lugha, 8: 25–42. Kibiki. M. John. 2012. Mabadiliko ya Maana Katika Vitenzi vya Kiswahili. Tasnifu ya MA (Kiswahili),
Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es salaam. Levinson, C. 2007. ‘cut’ and Break Verbs in Yeli Dnye the Papuan Language of Rossel Island.
Cognitive Linguistics, 18(2):, 207–217. Lupke, F. 2007. Smash It Again, Sam Verbs of Cutting and Breaking in Jalonke. Cognitive Linguistics, 18(2): 251–261. Majid, A. M. Gullberg, M. Van Staden & M. Bowerman. 2007. Howe Similar are Semantic
Categories in Closely Related Languages. A Comparison of Cutting and Breaking for Germanic
Languages. Cognitive Linguistics, 18(2): 179–194. Majid, A. J. S. Boster & M. Bowerman. 2008. The Cross Linguistic Categorization of Everyday
Events, A Study of Cutting and Breaking. Cognition. 109(2): 235–250. Mochiwa Z.S.M. 2007: Kiswahili Verbs, A Lexicographical Challenge. Department of Kiswahili, The
Open University of Tanzania. Mohamed, A. M. 1998. Kamusi ya Visawe. Nairobi, Kampala, Dar es Salaam: East African
Educational Publishers. Polome, E. C. 1967. Swahili Language Handbook: Washington: Centre for Applied Linguistics. Tobing, S.S. 2010. Semantic Change and Meaning Shift Analysis on Film Making Terms. A Thesis
for Strata 1 Degree in Linguistics, Di ponegoro University. Ullmann, S. 1957. The Principles of Semantics. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. —. 1962. Semantics: An Introduction to the Science of Meaning. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Wijaya, D. T. & R. Yeniterezi. 2011. Understanding Semantic Change of Words over Centuries. Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Wilks, Y. 1978. Making Preferences more Active. Artificial Intelligence, 11(3): 197–223