The numeral system(s) in Western Serengeti – formal, functional and historical inferences
In this study we offer a detailed synchronic and diachronic account of the hitherto un(der)-documented numeral systems of the four closely related (Eastern) Bantu language varieties:Ikoma, Nata, Ishenyi, and Ngoreme – together forming the Western Serengeti subgroup.We describe the essentially identical formation and organization of numerals in theselanguage varieties while also noting the morphosyntactic behaviour of numeral expressionsand their extended uses. Based on an extensive quantity of comparative data, wefurthermore disentangle the historical background to the numerals and their systematizationin Western Serengeti, connecting this specific linguistic domain with the wider genealogicalprofile of this subgroup.
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