The Juncture Morpheme in Naro

Abstract

This paper explores the different positions in which the juncture morpheme occurs in the verbal complex and its possibility to co-occur with different verbal extensions. The paper also tries to find out if the juncture morpheme is compulsory in any given verbal construction and when exactly it should appear. It has been noted that on a synchronic level the juncture morpheme has no recognizable meaning and does not serve any grammatical function. The paper further notes that the juncture morpheme links two verbal extensions as well as verbs in a serial verbal construction. Preliminary findings suggest that, in any given verbal construction, the juncture morpheme is compulsory and attaches to the first verb. A general pattern observed about the juncture morpheme in serial verbal constructions is that when it is left out it gives an ungrammatical structure. Furthermore, this morpheme indicates direction from the verb to the grammatical element that is involved.

Keywords: juncture morpheme, verbal construction, verbal extensions, grammatical function