Date of Award
8-1995
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Linguistics
First Advisor
Stephen A. Marlett
Abstract
This thesis is an analysis of the verbal system of Central Dangaleat, an Eastern Chadic language spoken in central Chad. Following the general introduction in chapter 1, the second chapter provides a basic introduction to the phonological system of the Central Dangaleat verbal system, focusing especially on syllable structure and epenthesis, vowel harmony and the tone system. Special attention is given to the relationship between consonant quality and tone in the language. Chapters 3 through 7 attempt to relate the Central Dangaleat tense, aspect and mood system to the proposals concerning the development of aspectual categories in Chadic as a whole. In particular, in support of Wolff's dual hypothesis for the development of imperfective in present-day Chadic languages, I will provide arguments that the two types of imperfective in Central Dangaleat developed from two separate forms in the proto-language, namely the Proto-Chadic verbal-noun and pluractional forms. Finally, chapter 8 provides a more in-depth analysis of the way in which consonant-tone interference works in Central Dangaleat, focusing on certain more problematic forms and further defining the relative ordering of the various tone rules in the language.
Recommended Citation
Burke, Lawrence R., "An introduction to the verbal system of Central Dangaleat" (1995). Theses and Dissertations. 3363.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/3363