Lutz Martens
Biographic Data
| ID | 195656 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Lutz Martens |
| GIVEN NAMES | Lutz |
| FAMILY NAME | Martens |
| SIGNATURE | MARTENS L |
| AFFILIATIONS | SOAS University of London |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2289-5701 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 39 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Encoding politeness in African urban youth languages: Evidence from Southern Africa
African urban youth languages (AUYLs) often function as languages of resistance and “anti-languages”, establishing alternative semiotic spaces. In this paper, we analyse the encoding of politeness and respect in AUYLs, drawing on examples from Southern Africa, and show that they have complex systems of politeness marking, comparable to the matrix languages on which they draw. This includes different types of address forms, polite reference forms,…
Morphosyntactic retention and innovation in Sheng, a youth language or stylect of Kenya
This paper examines the morphosyntax of the East African Swahili-based urban youth language or stylect Sheng. Research on urban youth languages has often focused on these varieties as sites of rapid change and linguistic creativity. However, we show that many of the structural features which appear to make Sheng stand out when compared to (Standard) Swahili are widespread across East African Bantu languages. We examine nominal and verbal domains,…
A micro-parametric survey on typological covariation related to focus marking strategies, based on the Bantu Morphosyntactic Variation database
This paper discusses typological tendencies of focus marking strategies from a cross-Bantu perspective based on the Bantu Morphosyntactic Variation (BMV) database, a large-scale database of morphosyntactic variation of Bantu languages built around 142 parameters covering an entire range of the major morphosyntactic components. Our main concern in this study is the inter-parametric correlation of three major focus marking strategies — the use of a…
Translanguaging spaces and multilingual public writing in Zambia: Tracing change in the linguistic landscape of Ndola on the Copperbelt
Descriptive and Comparative Linguistics
Morphosyntactic variation in Bantu: The case of Setswana
Within the context of microvariation in Bantu, three processes are examined in Setswana – object marking, inversion constructions and diminutive marking. Setswana morpho-syntactic structures for these constructions present instances that distinguish Setswana from Eastern Bantu languages and yet also cases of similarity with patterns more commonly attested in Eastern rather than Southern Bantu languages. Using a comparative-parametric approach Set…
Celebrating 180 Years and 120 Volumes of Transactions
Probing the interaction of language contact and internal innovation: Four case studies of morphosyntactic change in Rangi
The Bantu language Rangi is spoken at the northern borderlands of Tanzania, where Bantu, Cushitic and Nilotic languages meet. In many regards, Rangi exhibits the morphosyntax typically associated with East African Bantu: SVO word order, an extensive system of agreement and predominantly head-marking morphology. However, the language also exhibits a number of features which are unusual from a comparative and typological perspective, and which may …
Valency and expectation in Bantu applicatives
Bantu applicatives are standardly analysed syntactically, as encoding a change in valency. However, in many cases applicatives do not change valency, but are rather related to a change in interpretation. In particular pragmatic functions of applicatives related to focus and emphasis are often noted in the description of individual languages, but are very rarely reflected in typological or theoretical work. To address this problem, this paper deve…
Structure building and thematic constraints in Bantu inversion constructions
Bantu inversion constructions include locative inversion, patient inversion (also called subject–object reversal), semantic locative inversion and instrument inversion. The constructions show a high level of cross-linguistic variation, but also a core of invariant shared morphosyntactic and information structural properties. These include: that the preverbal position is filled by a non-agent NP triggering verbal agreement, that the agent follows …
Preverbal position(s) in Bantu inversion constructions: Theoretical and comparative considerations
Inversion constructions in Bantu have been discussed from a variety of perspectives over the last decades. Well-known construction types include locative inversion and subject-object reversal, while more recently semantic locative inversion and instrument inversion have been described. Theoretical studies of Bantu inversion constructions have focused on different aspects of the construction, including the licensing and grammatical function, infor…
A typology of Bantu subject inversion
This study charts variation in subject inversion constructions in Bantu languages. It distinguishes between seven types of inversion constructions: formal locative inversion, semantic locative inversion, instrument inversion, patient inversion, (clausal) complement inversion, default agreement inversion and agreeing inversion. Based on a set of nine surface variables, a matrix of inversion constructions is developed which identifies characteristi…
Tone cases in Otjiherero: Head-complement relations, linear order, and information structure
L’otjiherero a un système de flexion tonale du nom appelé ‘ cas tonals’. Ce système permet de différencier les noms selon le contexte syntaxique, notamment les cas qu’on appelle ‘ complément’ et ‘ par défaut’. Les noms marqués comme cas ‘ complément’ ne se trouvent qu’immédiatement après le verbe et seulement dans un sous-ensemble d’aspects verbaux. Le groupe de noms qui peuvent prendre le cas ‘ complément’ inclut des objets directs et indirects,…
Object marking and morphosyntactic variation in Bantu
The paper presents a detailed discussion of morphosyntactic variation in object marking in Bantu. Building on previous work (Marten et al., 2007), the paper investigates variation in object marking in 16 Bantu languages with respect to six parameters: the co-occurrence of object markers and lexical objects, the obligatoriness of object markers with specific classes of objects, the presence of locative object markers, multiple object markers, obje…
Background languages, learner motivation and self-assessed progress in learning Zulu as an additional language in the UK
The article reports results of a study of beginner-level learners of Zulu in higher education in the UK, focussing on learners’ linguistic background, their motivation and reasons for studying Zulu, and their self-assessed progress at the beginning of the second term of teaching. The study shows that participants typically studied Zulu as an additional or L3 language and often had prior knowledge of three or four background languages, including i…
Information structure and agreement: Subjects and subject agreement in Swahili and Herero
Meanings of money: National identity and the semantics of currency in Zambia and Tanzania
Descriptive and Comparative Linguistics
Locative inversion in Otjiherero: More on morphosyntactic variation in Bantu
This paper discusses locative inversion constructions in Otjiherero against the background of previous work by Bresnan and Kanerva (1989) on the construction in Chichewa, and Demuth and Mmusi (1997) on Setswana and related languages. Locative inversion in Otjiherero is structurally similar to locative inversion in Chichewa and Setswana, but differs from these languages in that there are fewer thematic restrictions on predicates undergoing locativ…
Papers in Bantu grammar and description
The collection of papers in this volume presents results of a collaborative project between the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, the Zentrum für allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft, Typologie und Universalienforschung (ZAS) in Berlin, and the University of Leiden. All three institutions have a strong interest in the linguistics of Bantu languages, and in 2003 decided to set up a network to compare results and to provide a platfo…
Right Node Raising, coordination and the dynamics of language processing
The dynamics of agreement and conjunction
Meanings of money: National identity and the semantics of currency in Zambia and Tanzania
Descriptive and Comparative Linguistics
Translanguaging spaces and multilingual public writing in Zambia: Tracing change in the linguistic landscape of Ndola on the Copperbelt
Descriptive and Comparative Linguistics
Object marking and morphosyntactic variation in Bantu
The paper presents a detailed discussion of morphosyntactic variation in object marking in Bantu. Building on previous work (Marten et al., 2007), the paper investigates variation in object marking in 16 Bantu languages with respect to six parameters: the co-occurrence of object markers and lexical objects, the obligatoriness of object markers with specific classes of objects, the presence of locative object markers, multiple object markers, obje…
Information structure and agreement: Subjects and subject agreement in Swahili and Herero
A typology of Bantu subject inversion
This study charts variation in subject inversion constructions in Bantu languages. It distinguishes between seven types of inversion constructions: formal locative inversion, semantic locative inversion, instrument inversion, patient inversion, (clausal) complement inversion, default agreement inversion and agreeing inversion. Based on a set of nine surface variables, a matrix of inversion constructions is developed which identifies characteristi…
The dynamics of agreement and conjunction
Right Node Raising, coordination and the dynamics of language processing
Structure building and thematic constraints in Bantu inversion constructions
Bantu inversion constructions include locative inversion, patient inversion (also called subject–object reversal), semantic locative inversion and instrument inversion. The constructions show a high level of cross-linguistic variation, but also a core of invariant shared morphosyntactic and information structural properties. These include: that the preverbal position is filled by a non-agent NP triggering verbal agreement, that the agent follows …
Background languages, learner motivation and self-assessed progress in learning Zulu as an additional language in the UK
The article reports results of a study of beginner-level learners of Zulu in higher education in the UK, focussing on learners’ linguistic background, their motivation and reasons for studying Zulu, and their self-assessed progress at the beginning of the second term of teaching. The study shows that participants typically studied Zulu as an additional or L3 language and often had prior knowledge of three or four background languages, including i…
Right Node Raising, coordination and the dynamics of language processing
The dynamics of agreement and conjunction
Locative inversion in Otjiherero: More on morphosyntactic variation in Bantu
This paper discusses locative inversion constructions in Otjiherero against the background of previous work by Bresnan and Kanerva (1989) on the construction in Chichewa, and Demuth and Mmusi (1997) on Setswana and related languages. Locative inversion in Otjiherero is structurally similar to locative inversion in Chichewa and Setswana, but differs from these languages in that there are fewer thematic restrictions on predicates undergoing locativ…
Papers in Bantu grammar and description
The collection of papers in this volume presents results of a collaborative project between the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, the Zentrum für allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft, Typologie und Universalienforschung (ZAS) in Berlin, and the University of Leiden. All three institutions have a strong interest in the linguistics of Bantu languages, and in 2003 decided to set up a network to compare results and to provide a platfo…
Meanings of money: National identity and the semantics of currency in Zambia and Tanzania
Descriptive and Comparative Linguistics
Background languages, learner motivation and self-assessed progress in learning Zulu as an additional language in the UK
The article reports results of a study of beginner-level learners of Zulu in higher education in the UK, focussing on learners’ linguistic background, their motivation and reasons for studying Zulu, and their self-assessed progress at the beginning of the second term of teaching. The study shows that participants typically studied Zulu as an additional or L3 language and often had prior knowledge of three or four background languages, including i…
Information structure and agreement: Subjects and subject agreement in Swahili and Herero
Tone cases in Otjiherero: Head-complement relations, linear order, and information structure
L’otjiherero a un système de flexion tonale du nom appelé ‘ cas tonals’. Ce système permet de différencier les noms selon le contexte syntaxique, notamment les cas qu’on appelle ‘ complément’ et ‘ par défaut’. Les noms marqués comme cas ‘ complément’ ne se trouvent qu’immédiatement après le verbe et seulement dans un sous-ensemble d’aspects verbaux. Le groupe de noms qui peuvent prendre le cas ‘ complément’ inclut des objets directs et indirects,…
Object marking and morphosyntactic variation in Bantu
The paper presents a detailed discussion of morphosyntactic variation in object marking in Bantu. Building on previous work (Marten et al., 2007), the paper investigates variation in object marking in 16 Bantu languages with respect to six parameters: the co-occurrence of object markers and lexical objects, the obligatoriness of object markers with specific classes of objects, the presence of locative object markers, multiple object markers, obje…
Preverbal position(s) in Bantu inversion constructions: Theoretical and comparative considerations
Inversion constructions in Bantu have been discussed from a variety of perspectives over the last decades. Well-known construction types include locative inversion and subject-object reversal, while more recently semantic locative inversion and instrument inversion have been described. Theoretical studies of Bantu inversion constructions have focused on different aspects of the construction, including the licensing and grammatical function, infor…
A typology of Bantu subject inversion
This study charts variation in subject inversion constructions in Bantu languages. It distinguishes between seven types of inversion constructions: formal locative inversion, semantic locative inversion, instrument inversion, patient inversion, (clausal) complement inversion, default agreement inversion and agreeing inversion. Based on a set of nine surface variables, a matrix of inversion constructions is developed which identifies characteristi…
Structure building and thematic constraints in Bantu inversion constructions
Bantu inversion constructions include locative inversion, patient inversion (also called subject–object reversal), semantic locative inversion and instrument inversion. The constructions show a high level of cross-linguistic variation, but also a core of invariant shared morphosyntactic and information structural properties. These include: that the preverbal position is filled by a non-agent NP triggering verbal agreement, that the agent follows …
Valency and expectation in Bantu applicatives
Bantu applicatives are standardly analysed syntactically, as encoding a change in valency. However, in many cases applicatives do not change valency, but are rather related to a change in interpretation. In particular pragmatic functions of applicatives related to focus and emphasis are often noted in the description of individual languages, but are very rarely reflected in typological or theoretical work. To address this problem, this paper deve…
Probing the interaction of language contact and internal innovation: Four case studies of morphosyntactic change in Rangi
The Bantu language Rangi is spoken at the northern borderlands of Tanzania, where Bantu, Cushitic and Nilotic languages meet. In many regards, Rangi exhibits the morphosyntax typically associated with East African Bantu: SVO word order, an extensive system of agreement and predominantly head-marking morphology. However, the language also exhibits a number of features which are unusual from a comparative and typological perspective, and which may …
Celebrating 180 Years and 120 Volumes of Transactions
A micro-parametric survey on typological covariation related to focus marking strategies, based on the Bantu Morphosyntactic Variation database
This paper discusses typological tendencies of focus marking strategies from a cross-Bantu perspective based on the Bantu Morphosyntactic Variation (BMV) database, a large-scale database of morphosyntactic variation of Bantu languages built around 142 parameters covering an entire range of the major morphosyntactic components. Our main concern in this study is the inter-parametric correlation of three major focus marking strategies — the use of a…
Translanguaging spaces and multilingual public writing in Zambia: Tracing change in the linguistic landscape of Ndola on the Copperbelt
Descriptive and Comparative Linguistics
Morphosyntactic variation in Bantu: The case of Setswana
Within the context of microvariation in Bantu, three processes are examined in Setswana – object marking, inversion constructions and diminutive marking. Setswana morpho-syntactic structures for these constructions present instances that distinguish Setswana from Eastern Bantu languages and yet also cases of similarity with patterns more commonly attested in Eastern rather than Southern Bantu languages. Using a comparative-parametric approach Set…
Encoding politeness in African urban youth languages: Evidence from Southern Africa
African urban youth languages (AUYLs) often function as languages of resistance and “anti-languages”, establishing alternative semiotic spaces. In this paper, we analyse the encoding of politeness and respect in AUYLs, drawing on examples from Southern Africa, and show that they have complex systems of politeness marking, comparable to the matrix languages on which they draw. This includes different types of address forms, polite reference forms,…
Morphosyntactic retention and innovation in Sheng, a youth language or stylect of Kenya
This paper examines the morphosyntax of the East African Swahili-based urban youth language or stylect Sheng. Research on urban youth languages has often focused on these varieties as sites of rapid change and linguistic creativity. However, we show that many of the structural features which appear to make Sheng stand out when compared to (Standard) Swahili are widespread across East African Bantu languages. We examine nominal and verbal domains,…
Linguistics (16 works) · Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation (14 works) · Computer Science (12 works) · Philosophy (12 works) · Bantu languages (11 works) · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies (7 works) · Multilingual Education and Policy (7 works) · Artificial Intelligence (6 works) · Linguistic Variation and Morphology (6 works) · Locative case (6 works)