Categorization of phasal polarity items in Bambara (Mande)
Categorization of phasal polarity items in Bambara (Mande)

Author(s): Klaudia Dombrowsky-Hahn
Subject(s): Theoretical Linguistics, Applied Linguistics
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: phasal polarity; adverbs; particles; grammaticalization
Summary/Abstract: The phasal polarity (PhP) operators ALREADY, NOT YET, STILL and NO LONGER may have different representation in particular languages. In the Mande language Bambara several items may be distinguished for each PhP expression. This paper discusses their categorization. The review of the most important dictionaries and grammars shows disagreement concerning their categorial status, which I attribute to different criteria on which the categorizations are based. Occurring in clause-final position, most items are assumed to be adverbs or particles. This paper provides a revised categorization of the PhP expressions using van Baar’s (1997) criteria, especially the principles he proposes to distinguish adverbs and particles. It is assumed that the PhP items in Bambara attest different stages of grammaticalization. Some PhP items are adverbs, others are grammaticalized particles; however, showing little formal reduction, they occur in the same form as the elements supposed to be their sources.

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