Reorganização do sistema de classes nominais em Makhuwa: o caso dos nomes dos animais

Abstract

In Bantu Languages ​​names are organized into groups called Classes. These groups are defined according to the prefixes and/or how they control the agreement of the other words in the sentence. The «nominal prefixes that in particular languages ​​determine the organization of names into classes are reflections of the Proto-Bantu prefixes, a reconstructed form of • \ a supposedly ancestral language of the Bantu languages. Due to (natural) processes resulting from phonetic changes that occur in human languages, the form of these prefixes varies from language to language, some even disappearing in some cases. Therefore, it is not uncommon to find, among the Bantu languages, cases in which the nominal classes are different from each other and between these and Proto-Bantu. Makhuwa is one of the languages ​​whose number of nominal classes is different from the number of nominal classes of Proto-Bantu and many prefixes of these classes in Makhuwa are also different from the prefixes of Proto-Bantu. Some reconstructed Proto-Bantu classes have no equivalent in Makhuwa. As a result, the names belonging to these classes were redistributed. by other classes. The aim of this work is to explain the criterion or criteria observed in the redistribution of names by Makhuwa nominal classes, with particular emphasis on the names of animals. To that end, our work will be organized into six chapters. In the first chapter is the introduction. The work methodology is located in the second chapter. In the third, we present the problem, motivation, justification for choosing the topic and the objectives of the work. The fourth chapter is reserved for the theoretical framework and the bibliographical review. The fifth chapter aims to show the results of our research. Finally, we have the sixth chapter where the conclusions we reached are presented, as well as some recommendations