A study of the predicate in its relationship to the subject, object and adjunct in Zulu
Hlongwane, J. B.
Thj.s work is a synchronic study of syntax in Zulu and
has its as central theme, verb-noun relations. In these
relations.~hree phenomena were found to be important,
(A) The liaison semantic features (LSFs)
(B) word-order as shown by nouns in relation to the verb
(C) Transitivity
(A ) 'l'he LS Fs
The noun may be the subject, object or adjunct depending
on the function it has taken up. These functional terms subject, object and adjunct are more concerned with structural
segments of a sentence rather than.semantic relationship of
segments. Con,aequently a sem1.mtic model of ,,SFs showing the
semat1tic-relaticmal features of nouns, is evolved. Such
features are determined by the kind of verb used. The major
LSFs are:
(a) Agentive / r.nstrumental
(bl Patient/ Factive
It is realised that if the semantic content of the relationship
is left out, the study of a sentence is bound to suffer from
explanatory in adequacy.
(B) The Ordering of nouns in relation to the verb
The ordering of nouns is only achieved by front shifting and back-shifting <:J e.g. a noun occurring post-verbally
is shifted to the front so that it occured before the verb:
\lshaya .tnkom6 (he hits a cow)
V:LJ.l -
1nkom6, uyayishaya (*the cow, he hits it)
'l'he noun occurring bcfon::, the vci-b n1<,y bo shifted to the
back as in
\~mf6na uy,1h1c1.mba ( the boy is walking) vs.
uyahamba umt'ciw, (*he is walking, a boy)
Such shifting goes along with focus which expresses prominence.
The ordering of nouns may therefore result in:
(a) a change in the form 01: a noun or verb · (b) a change in the meaning of a sentence
These two changes are usually concomitant i.e. a change in
the form of a sentence is accompanied by a change in its
meaning. For the purposes of convenience, the orderings have
been divided into two i.e. primary worid-order (where the
agentive normally occupies the first slot and the factive
occupies the second) and secondary word-order (front-shifting
of the factive and back-shifting of the agentive). Nouns may
take adjunct function in these orderings as when their forms
are inflected, cf.
t\rn:Cclna 1.'ivela esikoleni (the boy comes from school)
inko:n6 i.:,,,h;,5ywa ngud1fana ( the cow is hit by a boy)
Whereas some adjuncts have a fixed position, others have a
flexible position.
(C) Transitivity
Another verb-noun relation is observed in transitivity
which characterises predicate-object relation" transitivity
helps identify different kinds of objects:
(i) Optional object (this is lT mainly a primary object)
(i.i) Compulsory object (this is mainly a fixed object)
(iii) Prohibited object (Use object is shifted .out because
of intransitive use of the verb)
ix -
After the identification of these objects, a number of transitivity structures are established. Th\:.~se transitive structures
are established on the types of objects found.
The predicates cannot categorically b<~ divided into
transitive and intn1nsitive in Zulu. One can accept· that
some predicates have a wider choice of objects than others.
Those predicates which have limited choice of objects have
the patient preferring the First slot while the second is
left vacant. When the predicate has such a limited choice
of objects we have semi-transitive structure. Transitivity
is therefore conveniently divided into:
(a) Non-transitive: the predicate is used in such a way that
the object is prohibited e.g.
U:-:-1·Cana \1:x:.:ilusa (the boy herds)
' Urn.f6:11a. U .i i:ih~ },e (the boy is injured)
In the latter example, however, the object.
may be added, in which case it becomes
semi-transitive. (See below).
(b) Semi-transitive: the predicate has a limited choice of
objects e.g.
Jmfana Jlim6le !dol6 (the boy is injured
in the knee)
um'.'ana uhambc\ i:,;r',iela (the boy goes a
journey)
(c) Complete transitive: the, predicate has a wide choiice of
object.,: t.here an, two sub-divisions here:
( i) mc,nc)--tr;.,.\::,; __ s :.i.. ·L :Live:: the pi·.-::~,;< tea. Lf~ takes
on.Ly tl:e µcLnan, object(s) e.g.
a cow)
X -
(ii) dj,tranc; i ti.ve: the predicate takes
the primary and the secondary objects
e.g.
0babd 0n!ka 0mfdna incwadi (father
gives the boy a book)
Complete transitivity is mainly measured
by its capacity of being used in passive
construction i.e. it has the active and
passive diatheses.
Transitivity indicates versatility of the predicate in choosing
its objects: one and the same predicate may be used in structures
which are non-transitive, semi-transitive and complete transitive. In Zulu, extensions play a. big role in transitivity.
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