Beyond Time - Linguistics - University of California, Berkeley

Figure 7.2: Contentful phase of -samba ‘bathe’
Limiting situations to the semantically contentful phase results in default imperfective
readings.
Other markers have been proposed to target semantically contentful phrases, as well, although
the interpretations are different: Botne & Kershner (2008:171-172) describe a present
“continuative” marker -ku- in that selects the nuclear phase of durative verbs, and the coda
state of change-of-state verbs, i.e. “an interval in the semantic core [or “essence”] of the
event” (Botne & Kershner 2008:172).
In temporal clauses and in scene setting, -na- establishes a new perspective time frame,
in the past of the current perspective time, apparently in the “core”, or most contentful,
phase of the situation. This phase acts as a frame for locating other situation nuclei, as in
(419) and (420).
(419) àwá ndìnàláwùkà ndàwààná òmùntù nàlyâ
awa
ndi-na-lawuk-a nda-waan-a omuntu na-li-a
cl16(loc).dem 1sg-pst-run-fv 1sg.cmpl–find-fv cl1.person sit-eat-fv
‘while I was running/I ran [earlier today], I came across a person eating’ (ZT2009-
Elic29)
(420) Sùnú èchìfúmò àwá mùnáchìlààlà, ímè ndàyá kùmpìlì. Àwá mwàbúùkà ndânàbóólà
kàlê.
sunu echifumo awa
mu-na-chi-laal-a ime
today cl7.morning cl16(loc).dem 2pl-pst-pers-sleep-fv 1sg.pron
nda-y-a ku-mpili
Awa
mwa-buuk-a
1sg.cmpl-go-fv cl17(loc)-cl9.fields cl16(loc).dem 2pl.cmpl-wake.up-fv
nda-na-bool-a
kale
1sg.cmpl-pst-return-fv already
‘This morning while you were still sleeping, I went to the fields. When you woke
up, I had already returned’ (ZT2009Elic68)
Similarly, a personal narrative about events of the night before begins with the scenesetting
phrase in (421). This utterance was followed by the description of ensuing events,
some during (i.e. interrupting) the sleeping time, and some after.
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