On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in Dagbani
This paper examines the linguistic means by which spatial relations are expressed in Dagbani, a Mabia (Gur) language spoken in the northern region of Ghana (West Africa). I pay particular attention to the grammar of Dagbani “postpositions” demonstrating that the system of locative expressions compri...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Topics in Linguistics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2478/topling-2020-0009 |
| _version_ | 1797230480841506816 |
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| author | Issah Samuel Alhassan |
| author_facet | Issah Samuel Alhassan |
| author_sort | Issah Samuel Alhassan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper examines the linguistic means by which spatial relations are expressed in Dagbani, a Mabia (Gur) language spoken in the northern region of Ghana (West Africa). I pay particular attention to the grammar of Dagbani “postpositions” demonstrating that the system of locative expressions comprises words that share heterosemic relations with some body parts and landmark terms. I show that although these locative expressions are related both segmentally and suprasegmentally to the nominal items they might have developed from, they are distinct in terms of their semantic, syntactic and morphological properties. Consequently, I conclude that the body-part nouns in locative constructions are distinct syntactic categories due to the morphosyntactic and semantic differences they exhibit. These body-part nouns are thus analysed as grammaticalized items, which function as postpositions and instantiate a postpositional phrase (PostP) category. Finally, I propose possible series of semantic changes that could account for the development of the body-part terms as postpositions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T15:29:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c0815ea0f5fb412688f737043a383d79 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1337-7590 2199-6504 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T15:29:10Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Topics in Linguistics |
| spelling | doaj.art-c0815ea0f5fb412688f737043a383d792024-04-02T04:55:57ZengConstantine the Philosopher University in NitraTopics in Linguistics1337-75902199-65042020-12-01212416110.2478/topling-2020-0009topling-2020-0009On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in DagbaniIssah Samuel Alhassan0University of Education,GhanaThis paper examines the linguistic means by which spatial relations are expressed in Dagbani, a Mabia (Gur) language spoken in the northern region of Ghana (West Africa). I pay particular attention to the grammar of Dagbani “postpositions” demonstrating that the system of locative expressions comprises words that share heterosemic relations with some body parts and landmark terms. I show that although these locative expressions are related both segmentally and suprasegmentally to the nominal items they might have developed from, they are distinct in terms of their semantic, syntactic and morphological properties. Consequently, I conclude that the body-part nouns in locative constructions are distinct syntactic categories due to the morphosyntactic and semantic differences they exhibit. These body-part nouns are thus analysed as grammaticalized items, which function as postpositions and instantiate a postpositional phrase (PostP) category. Finally, I propose possible series of semantic changes that could account for the development of the body-part terms as postpositions.https://doi.org/10.2478/topling-2020-0009dagbanilexical categorygrammaticalizationpostpositionsmabiaspatial referencelocation |
| spellingShingle | Issah Samuel Alhassan On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in Dagbani Topics in Linguistics dagbani lexical category grammaticalization postpositions mabia spatial reference location |
| title | On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in Dagbani |
| title_full | On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in Dagbani |
| title_fullStr | On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in Dagbani |
| title_full_unstemmed | On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in Dagbani |
| title_short | On body-part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in Dagbani |
| title_sort | on body part nouns and the expression of spatial and locative reference in dagbani |
| topic | dagbani lexical category grammaticalization postpositions mabia spatial reference location |
| url | https://doi.org/10.2478/topling-2020-0009 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT issahsamuelalhassan onbodypartnounsandtheexpressionofspatialandlocativereferenceindagbani |