Case in Africa

By Christa König

This book provides a typological overview of the different manifestations of grammaticalized case systems in African languages. After defining and distinguishing case systems, Christa K?nig begins a thorough analysis of case in roughly 100 African languages and reveals several features, such
as tone as a marker for case and the marked-nominative system, which are rare phenomena in other languages of the world. Wherever possible, the author takes into account data from her own substantial and highly regarded field research. The book provides answers to questions such as the following:
What is the relationship between definiteness and case. Are case phenomena areally or genetically motivated? Why are case distinctions neutralized in nearly all case languages with verb initial or verb medial word order? Which grammaticalizations appear with case? What is the relationship between
topics and nominative cases, or focus and accusative cases?

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199232822
• ISBN13: 9780199232826
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.0" x 9.7"