Metaphorical extensions as a basis for grammaticalization with special reference to Zulu auxiliary verbs

Abstract

This study focuses on the development and the nature of Zulu auxiliary verbs. The syntactic category auxiliary has in the past received attention from various scholars. However, its origin and its etymology have not yet been attended to. In this thesis certain notions such as grammaticalization, metaphors, semantic field analysis, categorization, proto type theory and topology are used in order to explore the nature and the development of the auxiliaries in Zulu. The view that Zulu auxiliaries derive from full verbs is specifically and systematically examined.