Combinatorial Constraints of Peripheral Verbs and Adverbials in Kåthemnɛ

Abstract

Peripheral verbs are commonly known as preverbal markers. These help lexical verbs of the Themnɛ language to form what are traditionally referred to as ‘tenses’ in English. Added to these particles, are other grammatical elements called adverbs or adverbials which also help lexical verbs in locating time or events spatially or temporally. Peripheral verbs are non-finite. That is, they cannot make a predicate or sense on their own. Their function or distribution is therefore limited within the verb phrase. Lexical verbs are finite. That is, they can make sense on their own. As regards their distribution, they can occupy any of the three sentence positions (initial, medial, and final). This explains why Fyle and Jones (1980: XLiii) refer to them as free verbs. In Kåthemnɛ, below are the following peripheral verbs and adverbials:

1. ‘bakə’ (have to x-something or somebody)


2. ‘po’ (have/has)


3. ‘ba tәkә/thambe/tha’ (must/ought to)


4. ‘bͻ’ (used to)


5. ‘tә’ (will/shall)


6. ‘yi rәkә’ (be in the act of/progressive action)


7. ‘yi tәkә’ (should)


8. ‘tente’ (often)


9. ‘thᴐ’ (already)

As pointed out above, the peculiarity of the Themnɛ lexical verb resides in the fact that it is invariable in form and meaning. What lead to the changes in the form, meaning, and ‘tense’ of the Themnɛ verb are the above-mentioned morphological particles. This work, therefore, discusses peripheral verbs and adverbs that sequentially go together to produce meaningful utterances in Kåthemnε. It seeks to know which peripheral verb precedes the other, which immediately follows, and what position (initial, medial, final) do the adverbials ‘tente’ (often) and ‘thͻ’ (already) occupy amidst the above-stated peripherals.