Locative determiner phrases and locative relative clauses in isiNdebele

Abstract

This article discusses the structure of the locative determiner phrase and locative relativisation in isiNdebele. I argue that locative determiner phrases consist of three elements: the locative absolute pronoun, the demonstrative locative and a locative noun. Locative absolute pronouns are heads of locative determiner phrases. The locative absolute pronoun khona selects a locative demonstrative pronoun which takes a locative noun as its complement. I suggest that the locative absolute pronouns have been lost in classes 16, 18, 24 and 25, leaving the class 17 locative absolute pronoun khona as the default locative absolute pronoun in locative determiner phrases. The locative demonstrative pronouns have been lost in classes 17, 18 and 25, leaving classes 16 and 24 as the only locative demonstrative pronouns in isiNdebele. On locative relativisation, I argue that the head of the locative relative is base generated outside the relative clause and that a second position locative demonstrative pronoun lapho serves as a relative pronoun in a locative relative clause. The relative pronoun starts off as a complement of a locative absolute pronoun and then it is extracted from the relativisation site and copied to its surface position, leaving the locative absolute pronoun stranded in the relativisation site.