Typological trends in South-Eastern Bantu

Abstract

Language is not a static system. It is susceptible to various forces or processes which continuously operate on it over periods of time. These forces or processes are, inter alia, responsible for the various trends and changes reflected in the different linguistic domains. In some instances these trends/changes are not perceptible in a synchronic dissection of a specific language, but only perceived in an analysis involving a cross-section of numerous languages. It is my aim in this article to exemplify some trends which appear to characterize the Bantu languages of the South-Eastern Zone (Doke's Zone 60). The areas of investigation dealt with can be conveniently grouped under the following headings: 1. Class reduction; 2. Prefixal vs suffixal system; 3. Category shifting. Data on four language groups form the basis of this study, namely Nguni, Sotho, Tsonga, and Venda. Where dialects of a group are involved, it suffices to single out only one when discussing each of the above areas of investigation, except in those cases where dialects belonging to a group differ significantly in their data. As will become clear, It is necessary in a study of this nature to make passing references to languages spoken outside the South-Eastern Zone in order to substantiate some of the generalizations put forward.