This book is the first comprehensive description of Mundabli, a Southern Bantoid (Niger-Congo) language spoken in the Grassfields region of Northwest Cameroon. Mundabli has four level tones... Show moreThis book is the first comprehensive description of Mundabli, a Southern Bantoid (Niger-Congo) language spoken in the Grassfields region of Northwest Cameroon. Mundabli has four level tones plus a number of contour tones. Its phonology is further characterized by a complicated vowel system including a set of pharyngealized vowels. Its noun class system, with paired singular and plural classes, is similarly elaborate as those of Bantu languages. However, unlike in other related languages, noun classes in Mundabli are often not marked on the noun. Some singular-plural class pairings are instead marked by stem-initial consonant mutation or by tonal changes. Agreement is restricted to the noun phrase. Verbs belong to one of three inflectional classes or verb tone classes. Mundabli makes use of two future tenses and four non-future tenses. Evidence for grammatical relations is relatively weak and evidence for the subject is stronger than for the object. The unmarked word order is SVO, but when the subject is in focus, it occurs in the focus position immediately behind the verb complex. Presenting novel data from a formerly undocumented language, this grammar is of interest to both Niger-Congo scholars and scholars in linguistic typology and theoretical linguistics. Show less
This dissertation presents a grammar of Khwarshi, a Nakh-Daghestanian language. The grammar is based on material collected by the author during fieldwork. The dissertation gives an overview of the... Show moreThis dissertation presents a grammar of Khwarshi, a Nakh-Daghestanian language. The grammar is based on material collected by the author during fieldwork. The dissertation gives an overview of the main aspects of the phonology, morphology, and syntax of the language. At the phonological level, a description of the system of vowels and consonants is given as well as of the secondary articulations: nasalization, palatalization, and pharyngealization. Khwarshi has several interesting morphological features including an elaborate system of up to 43 spatial cases, five noun genders which mark agreement between the Absolutive noun phrase and the verb, adjective, adverb, or postposition with the help of the gender affixes. Khwarshi is an ergative language with basic SOV word order and widespread use of non-finite verb forms. In the chapter on syntax, the main types of subordinate clauses such as relative, complement, and adverbial clauses are treated. Show less
