Citation: Babangida Magaji ISA (2018). Argument Realization of Hausa Verbs: Theta System Approach. Yobe Journal of Language, Literature and Culture (YOJOLLAC), Vol. 6. Department of African Languages and Linguistics, Yobe State University, Damaturu, Nigeria. ISSN 2449-0660
ARGUMENT REALIZATION OF HAUSA VERBS: THETA
SYSTEM APPROACH
By
Babangida Magaji ISA
Abstract
Argument realization has been one of the
critical issues in Linguistics right from Fillmore (1968, 1970) to Reinhart
(2000-2001). The basic concept of argument realization is the relationship
between verbs and their arguments, and the way verb semantics can determine the
morphosyntactic realization of its arguments. This paper analyses Hausa verbs
using Reinhart’s Theta System. Thus, instead of using thematic roles like
Agent, Instrument, Beneficiary, Experiencer, etc, a cluster of binary features
is used. These features was leveled by Reinhart which consists of [c] for cause
change and [m] for mental state. In other words, Reinhart introduces two
features, [c] and [m] to replace the existing features leveled by Fillmore. This
paper attempts to analyze Reinhart’s Theta system to test its applicability or
otherwise to Hausa verbs. The result of this study/finding proved that
Reinhart’s Theta system can be applied to Hausa based on one out of four
operations provided by Reinhart. The paper suggests that the other operation
which was yet to be proved by the researcher need further investigation to
prove its applicability.
1.0 Introduction
The relation of verbs and their argument has
been discovered by Fillmore (1968, p. 20-21) in his Case for Case proposal, in
which he assumes case to be a deep structure sense, underlying
syntactic-semantic relationship. Argument realization is further explained by
Fillmore (1970) in his well-known study, “The Grammar of Hitting and Breaking”,
where the verbshit and break are used to describe
the same scene in different ways. The interest sparked by Fillmore’s (1968,
1970) theory led to its application by Magashi (1982), in his research on the
Morphology of Hausa verbs. Argument realization is taken further in the standard
formulations of Government and Binding Theory (Chomsky, 1981, 1986), with the
introduction of the Theta Theory. The theory is concerned with proper
assignment of semantic roles by heads to their complements in the form of theta
roles. Theta Theory was applied on Hausa by Bature (1991) in the form of
thematic argument and semantic roles in Hausa. His work seeks to find
principles governing alternations involving changes in the argument structure
of Hausa verbs. Theta Theory is also the main concern in the research work of
Muhammad (2014), involving analysis of theta roles of Hausa verbs. A new
development to the Theta Theory comes in the form of Theta System proposed by
Reinhart (2000, 2002) in which she suggests that thematic relations be assigned
to arguments based on binary features: causes change (+/- c) and (have or
no)mental state (+/- m). Reinhart (2002, p. 10) then proposes eight
combinations of these features to match the all thematic roles. This paper aims
to analyze Hausa verbs using the Theta System Theory. Considering the fact that
the theory is a new development in argument realization by verbs, this paper
intends to test its applicability or otherwise on Hausa verbs just like the way
Magashi (1982) applies Fillmore’s (1968) Case for Case Theory, and Bature’s
(1991) and Muhammad’s (2014) application of Theta Theory on Hausa verbs.The
different between the current research and that of Bature (1991) and Muhammad
(2004) is that, Bature and Muhammad uses thematic roles like; agent, theme,
experience etc to analyze Hausa verbs. While the current research analyses
Reinhart’s theta role using (+/-c) and (+/-m) to analyze Hausa verbs.
2.0 Literature Review
Here we are going to discuss the relevant
literature on argument realization. For example, the argument realization in
Fillmore (1968), Magashi (1982), Chomsky (1986), Bature (1991), and Reinhart
(2000, 2001&2002).Fillmore (1968) came out with traditional notions of case
which is the central notion of his theory and he took it to be primitive.
Fillmore uses the term in a deep structure, that is to say, it is an underlying
syntactic-semantic relationship. Fillmore identifies the case for case in two
convergent ways: semantically by identifying intuitive natural classes based on
the way in which state and events are conceptualized and semantically by
noticing covert grammatical distinctions in the ways in which nominal behaves
in the syntax. Fillmore (1968, p. 24) suggests eight cases: Agent, Instrument,
Dative, Factor, Locative, and Object. Others are Benefactor and Temporal.
Fillmore distinguishes these cases and their grammatical functions (case forms).
In his theory, Fillmore discusses case frame
features; these are associated with each predicate in the lexicon to indicate a
set of cases which the verb can be inserted into, so that a valid sentence can
be formed. These case frames have the form:
1. + [─ case1+ case2 +…+ case n] Fillmore, (1968:pp 27)
Fillmore postulates the fact that verbs can be
inserted into more than one distinct case environment by allowing for optional
elements in frame features. The following example has been given by Fillmore
(1968, p. 27) to account for the frame feature for open in 2:
2. + [── + O (1) + (A ) ]
(The door opened (O) John opened the
door (O+A))
3 John open the door with a
chisel (O+I+A)
Other issues raised by Fillmore on his case
frames are the ‘transformational properties’, the information that is
represented in the Fillmore’s lexical entries concerning a given predicate. This
information is broken down into: subjectivalization and objectivalization
rules, which pick out particular nominals to be the subject and the object of a
sentence.
Magashi (1982) classifies Hausa verbs in a
manner sensitive to both the semantic and morpho-syntactic relationships which
exist between a verb and the rest of the sentence in which it occurs. The
classification is based on Fillmore’s basic aims outlined in the case for case
model.In the first place, Magashi discusses the birth of case grammar, its
historical development and how well it could be applied on Hausa. He went
further to revisit the existing analyses of the Hausa verbal system.Magashi
proposes that the Hausa verbs form three major categories which were based on
the obligatory case roles which they require. The three major categories are:
Agentive, Experiencer and Objective. He further points out that, only three
forms of the Hausa verb with tone pattern HH(H)-ar, HH(H)-o, (L)LH-u are
generally derivatives, while all others could be both basic and derivatives
which is determined by the semantic class of the verb which operates them.
Quite a number of Hausa verbs were treated by Magashi, like: Experiecer verbs,
Agentive and Objective among others.Furthermore, the transfer verbs and verbs
of verbalization were treated. Such verbs like fà xaa (to tell)
and gayà (to inform) and the syntactic difference
between karà nta (reading), faxa (to tell)
and tà mbayaa (to ask) on one hand and cee (say)
on the other hand were analyzed.
Bature (1991) focuses on the search for
universal principles governing certain kinds of alternations involving changes
in the argument structure of verbs. He discusses a fragment of Hausa grammar
where he shows how morphosyntactic expressions can be presented within Direct
Linking Theory (DLT).The thesis also sheds more light on some grammatical
constructions such as middles, lexical reflexives/reciprocals, unspecified
object deletion verbs, lexical applicative and lexical causatives.He also
examines how morphosyntactic expressions can be presented within Kiparsky’sDLT.
He explores the syntactic conception of Theta-roles (θ-Roles) which
distinguishes them from semantic roles and classes of semantic roles. He also
examines the distinction between thematic objects which are not represented at
more abstract level of representation, namely lexical conceptual structure,
passive constructions and the general syntactic and semantic presentation of
middles construction in Hausa and many other languages. Finally, Bature
examines how morphology affects argument structure and its syntactic
realization.Bature’sTh-role information is not the same as the one used in
Fillmore (1968), Gruber (1965), and Magashi (1982). This is simply because as
(Bature 1991, p. 4) says:
Th-role may not be the
same thing as the mental representation
of concepts for typical
actions, events, scripts in which the verb
is used: rather, they
are essentially constraints on particular
aspects of an event.
Reinhart’s (2000, & 2002) Theta System was
found to match the demands of some works proposed by her predecessors, notably:
Fillmore(1968), Magashi (1982), Chomsky (1981), and Bature (1991), to mention
just a few. Reinhart's theory discusses Lexicon Uniformity Principle (LUP),
Notional Conventions, Feature Cluster and Verb classes which includes,
underspecified causes [+c], agents [+c+m] and manner verbs and indirect
causation [/+c], [+c-m]. Other areas discusses by Reinhart are: The realization
of thematic feature cluster and Arity Operations (AR).Below are the binary
features proposed by Reinhart (2000, p. 10)“in place of the primitive ones”.
4) a) [+c+m]- agent
b) [+c-m] - instrument
c) [-c+m] - experiencer
d) [-c-m] - theme / patient
e) [+c] - cause
f) [-m] - subject
matter /locative source
g) [-c] - goal / benefactor
As we can see, Reinhart (2000, p. 10), instead
of decomposing verb-meanings into lexical event structures, she analyses
thematic roles like Agent, Theme, Experiencer, into clusters of two binary
features, which are leveled c (for cause change) and m (for mental
contribution). This paper uses these features to analyze Hausa verbs.
Muhammad (2014) conducts a research on the
analyses of theta roles of verbs in Hausa. The main focus of the research is to
describe the theory of Theta role in Hausa language. The research analyses the
types of theta roles like: agent, theme, experiencer, beneficiary/benefactor,
and source. Others are goal, locative, instrument and force.
From the works so far reviewed, we can see that
Magashi (1982) focuses on adopting Fillmore’s (1968) theory of Case for Case,
while Bature (1991) and Muhammad (2014) adoptTheta Role Theory on Hausa. This
paper focuses on adopting Reinhart’s (2000) Theta System which is a move
forward from the Theta Role Theory.
3.0 Theoretical Framework
This paper is based on Reinhart’s Theta System
(Feature Theory) (2000) which is a further development of the Chomsky’s (1986)
Theta Theory within the Principle and Parameters framework. The Theta System
consists of the followings: Reinhart (2000, p. 1)
a. Lexical entries, which
are coded concepts, with formal features defining the θ-relations of
verb-entries.
b. A set of arity
operations on lexical entries, which may generate new entries, or just new
options of realization.
c. Marking procedures,
which 'prepare' a verb entry for syntactic derivations: assign an ACC(usative)
feature to the verb in the relevant cases, and determine merging properties of
arguments (technically obtained by indices).
The Theta system as cited above, assumes binary
features, the possible combinations of these two features define four clusters:
[+c+m], [-c+m], -[+c-m] and [-c-m], which are used to realize agent, theme,
theme/patient, experiencer, instrument, locative, goal and other argument
realization theta roles in the Theta Theory. I therefore propose to adopt these
features in realizing the arguments of the Hausa verbs.
In this section, I am going to analyze some of
the data generated in the light of the Theta System Theory of Reinhart (2000).
4.1 Data Analysis Procedure
This study analyzes Hausa verbs as lexical
entries where by:
a. Their arguments will be assigned their appropriate theta roles.
b. Their arguments will be assigned theta features.
c. There will be mapping of theta roles and theta features to provide
an interface.
d. Arity operations will be conducted to derive various thematic
forms from one thematic structure.
4.2 Sampled Data Analysis
The analysis will be based on four features: The
assignment of appropriate theta role; the theta features; mapping of the theta
roles and theta features. The last one is arity operations as proposed in
Reinhart’s framework (2000). Here, we are trying to point out that, in an
attempt to test the applicability of Reinhart theory to Hausa verbs, each
sentence given will be considered under the above four features.
4.2.1Assignment of Appropriate Theta Role
5 (a)Audu ya buxe qofa da
mukulli.
bAudu 3ms-perf.open door with key
cAudu opened the door with a key’
The theta roles for the underlined arguments of
the predicate buxe (open) are:
i. Audu agent
ii. Door theme
iii. Key instrument
4.2.2 Theta Features Assignment
i)Audu is the cause of the action
and is assigned [+c], which specifies for ‘physically active’; He is also
assigned [+m] which specifies for ‘mentally active’.Audu is then
fully specified for [+c+m].
ii Door is assigned [-c]
because it is the target of force; and it is also assigned [-m] because it is
mentally inactive. Door therefore fully specified for [-c-m].
iii Key is specified for [+c] because it is
physically active, and [-m] because it is mentally inactive. Key is therefore
fully specified for [+c-m].
4.2.3 Mapping of Theta Roles and Theta Features
buxe (open)
has agent, theme, instrument (theta roles)
buxe (open) has [+c+m], [-c-m], [+c-m]
The following therefore is the theta features
for the verb buxe (open):
buxe: {[+c+m], [-c-m], [+c-m]}
4.2.4 Arityoperations as Proposed in Reinhart’s Framework (2000)
This involvesreduction operation: this
can be either decausativization, whereby an external feature(s) is
deleted; or reflexivization whereby an internal and external
features are bundled to form a single conjoined cluster; or causativization
whereby the feature of an existing role is manipulated and an agent cluster is
added.
4.2.4.1 Decausativizationoperation:
(6)Auduyabuxeqofa da mukulli(Audu
3ms-perf. open door with key)
‘Audu opened the door with a key’
In example (6) above, the verb buxe (open)
before the operation has the following features:{[+c+m], [-c-m], [+c-m]}.
(7)Mukulliyabuxeqofa(Key
3ms-perf. open door)
‘The key opened the
door’
In (7) we can see the features of the verb buxe (open)
after the operation has become:
buxe: {[-c-m], [+c-m]}.
This shows that the agent features [+c+m] have
been reduced from the argument features of the verb, leaving only the
instrument and the theme features, while the sentence remains grammatical.
We can still reduce the features as in (10)
below:
(8) Qofa ta buxe (Door 3fs.-perf. open)
‘The door opened’
The features for the verbbuxe have now become:
Buxe: {[-c-m]}
4.2.4.2.Reflexivization:
9.a) Tanko ya mari Mati (Tanko 3ms-perf. slap
Mati)
‘Tanko slapped Mati’
b). Tanko ya mari kansa (Tanko 3ms-perf. slap
himself)
‘Tanko slapped himself’
In example (9) above, we can see that Tanko has
the agent theta role, while Mati has the experience role. The verb mari (slap)
has the theta features of {[+c+m], [-c+m]}. But after the reflexivization
operation, the {[+c+m], [-c+m]} features have been merged into {[+c+m]},
because Tanko and himself are one and the same person.
5.0 Conclusion
In this paper, I have shown that studies on
argument realization of predicatesare discovered by Fillmore (1968) in his Case
for Case. This was adopted by Magashi (1982) in his analysis of Hausa verbs.
Later when the Theta Theory was introduced as part of the Government and
Binding Theory of Chomsky (1986), scholars like Bature (1991) adopted the
theory in their analysis of Hausa predicates. The Theta System of Reinhart
(2000) is a development from the Theta Theory whereby arguments are realized
using feature clusters. The expected outcome of this paper is that these theta
features will be used to analyze Hausa verbs rather than the usual theta roles
of agent, theme, experience, locative, instrument etc.
References
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A. (1991). Thematic Arguments and semantic roles in Hausa. (Morphosyntax and
lexical interface). Unpublished PhD thesis, Stanford University. California.
Chomsky,
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Chomsky,
N. (1986). Barriers. Cambridge,
Massachusetts. MIT Press
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C.J. (1968). The case for case in
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C.J. (1970). The grammar of hitting and
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J. S. (1965). Studies in lexical relations.
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M.G. (1982). Morphology of the Hausa verbs.
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Languages. Bayero University, Kano.
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T. (2000). The theta system:
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Linguistics
Reinhart,
T. (2001). A synopsis of the theta system.
Ms. University of Utrech and Tel Aviv, University.
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