Grammatical relations and lexical semantics in Kordofan Nubian - A descriptive and historical-comparative investigation of verbal forms

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Focusing on the complex interaction of verb semantics, valency changing morphology, and the morphosyntactic marking of grammatical relations, the proposed research project is concerned with two closely related Kordofan Nubian languages spoken in Sudan. Genetically they are part of the Nubian language family which represents a subgroup of the northern Eastern Sudanic branch of Nilo-Saharan. Grammatical relations can be expressed by different morphosyntactic devices, case marking, constituent order, cross-referencing of the core constituents by person markers on the verb, and valency changing morphology. The southern East Sudanic languages, for instance, mainly use valency changing verbal morphemes while languages of the northern group use extensive case marking systems. In Nubian, both strategies are used to express peripheral semantic roles such as instrument, manner, location, goal or beneficiary. The project therefore aims at investigating the valency changing morphology with particular attention to the semantic roles it assigns to the arguments. Outside of the theory of grammaticalization, the question how semantic change of verbs proceeds has rarely been addressed from a lexical and grammatical perspective. Therefore this question lies at the core of the project.The applicant is a qualified expert in the Nilo-Saharan languages Fur, Beria (Saharan), and Nubian. Experienced in descriptive and historical-comparative research, she has carried out preparatory research on all aspects of the proposed project which is, moreover, based on her extensive monograph "Kordofan Nubian. A synchronic and diachronic study" (accepted for publication, pdf attached). In this monograph, the applicant has reconstructed some 165 verb roots. These verbs will form the data base of the project exploring the following questions: Which valency changing morphemes can these verbs take? Which semantic roles do they assign to the arguments? The morphosyntactic behaviour of the verbs will be analyzed in various genres of text but also by means of questionnaires such as the Valency Classes questionnaire of the MPI Leipzig. The insights into semantic change gained from the comparison of cognate verbs and cognate valency changing morphemes will be illustrated by designing semantic maps. Outside of Bantu languages, the comparative method has hardly been applied to carry out research on lexical semantics. This is therefore an innovative approach within African language studies. The output of the project will comprise several conference presentations and articles. A concluding monograph will be prepared in the course of the project.The proposed project is scheduled for 24 months including 7 months of field work in Sudan in close cooperation with highly motivated Kordofan Nubian speakers.