Communicative Functions of the Augment in Cigogo

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine different functions of the augment in Cigogo (G11), a Bantu language spoken in central Tanzania. The data were collected through translational questionnaires, audio-recording of oral texts, and native speakers’ grammaticality judgements of Cigogo texts. The analysis is guided by Lyons’ (1999) theory of definiteness. The findings establish that the augment performs various linguistic and communicative roles in Cigogo. These include signalling definiteness, specificity, and anaphoric reference. It is further established that the augment functions as a topic marker in topicalized constructions. These findings contribute to the typological literature on the functions of the augment in Bantu languages.

Keywords: Bantu languages, Cigogo, augment, definiteness, specificity