Shona auxiliaries: ri, va, nga, an....... NJLC, Volume 3: Number 2, December 2009 Shona auxiliaries: rí, vá; ngà and tìTP Calisto Mudzingwa and Mario Chávez-Peón, University of British Columbia Abstract The goal of this study is to identify, describe and analyze the morpho-syntactic properties of Shona auxiliaries, rí, vá, nga and tì. T"#%!"# i(2$-&" ?F]UG>. &( #$-!6 explores these auxiliaries in detail. The following research question was addressed: What accounts for the cluster of morpho-syntactic properties exhibited by the Shona auxiliaries, rí, vá, nga and tìl a" ’23-" $,’$ $,"#" ’-=%0%’2%"# :’00 %&$( $8( 10’##"#E $," B#/"1$-’0 ’-=%0%’2%"#. $," J2(32"##%9" rí and Inceptive vá; the Tensed auxiliaries: ngà and tì. rí and vá pattern together in that they: (i) occur with a Subject Marker ?[@>V ?%%> !( &($ (11-2 8%$, $"&#" ;’2S%&3V ?%%%> $’S" ’& %&4&%$%9’0 1(;/0";"&$) ngà and tì on the other hand, pattern together in that they: (i) permit multiple occurrence (: [@#V ?%%> 1(e(11-2 8%$, (9"2$ $"&#" ;’2S%&3V ?%%%> 1(e(11-2 8%$, $," B#/"1$-’0 B-=%0%’2%"#V ?%9> $’S" +J 1(;/0";"&$#) a" /2(/(#" $,’$ $," ’-=%0%’2%"#. rí, vá, nga and tì ’2" :-&1$%(&’0 ,"’!#V B#/"1$-’0 ’-=%0%’2%"# ’2" %&$2(!-1"! -&!"2 $," :-&1$%(&’0 head Aspect, and the Tensed auxiliaries under Aux. Every auxiliary co-occurs with a [@) +," !%#$2%5-$%(& (: $," [@ 2"P"1$# $,’$E ?%> [@ %# /2"#"&$ %: $," 9"25’0 :(2; %# 4&%$") ?%%> B 4&%$" 9"25’0 :(2; %# ’ +J J,’#". ’&! "’1, +J /,’#" %# ’##(1%’$"! 8%$, (&" [@) The study contributes to a deeper understanding of Shona auxiliaries and to the recalcitrant issue of multiple subject marking in Bantu, as well as to language typology. 1. Introduction The goal of this study is to identify, describe and analyze the morpho-syntactic /2(/"2$%"# (: [,(&’ ’-=%0%’2%"#E J2(32"##%9" rí, and Inceptive vá; T"&#"! ’-=%0%’2%"#V ngà and subordinative tì+J F 44 iJ+) T"#%!"# i(2$-&" ?F]WW. F]UG>. $( $," 5"#$ (: (-2 knowledge, there is no study that explores these auxiliaries in detail. We argue that these auxiliary elements fall into two classes, according to distributional 12%$"2%’) b& $," (&" ,’&!. $," ’#/"1$-’0 ’-=%0%’2%"# ?’-="#>. $," J2(32"##%9" rí and Inceptive váB B pattern together in that they: (i) occur with a Subject Marker. (ii) do not occur with tense marking. ?%%%> %&$2(!-1" ’ fJ 1(;/0";"&$ %& $," :(2; (: ’& %&4&%$%9") This is illustrated in examples (1) and (2) for progressive ri and inceptive vá, where == TPPT %+ D*04( 4&,+ /* /)C’, E*.+FGC:&+ 8H9)C&’+6 8*0I4C. J044+534C’,6 K0’’C: L4CM0: NC’.F .*’6 M*: 9*22+’/.6 .0II+./&*’. C/ C44 /)+ (&MM+:+’/ ./CI+. *M 9*2&’I 0O D&/) /)&. OCO+:< %+ D*04( C4.* 4&,+ /* +P/+’( *0: I:C/&/0(+ /* G&,+ QC::&+ M*: &’.&I)/M04 (&.90..&*’.< 144 2&./C,+. :+2C&’ *0: :+.O*’.&3&4&/5< 222