Annotating Tumbuka

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For more information about Tumbuka (CiTumbuka)see:Typological Features Template for Tumbuka (CiTumbuka)

One of the challenges in glossing a Bantu language is the representation of the verb and its affixes. Bantu languages are agglutinating, and a verb in Tumbuka can be preceded by several prefixes, and it can be followed by several suffixes. Suffixes can be followed by end-clitics, such as -só meaning 'again' or po which is a locative. One way of representing verb affixation is through the use of verb schemata where the verb root is accompanied by slots (SLT) each of which hosts one or several affixes of a specific grammatical type.

**Morphological Verb Template for Tumbuka**
SUBJ.M	TA1	(MOD)	(OM),(REFL)	ROOT	(EXT)	(TA2)	FV	(Clitic)
SLT1	SLT2	SLT3	SLT4		SLT5	SLT6	SLT7	SLT8

Note that only the subject marker (expressing noun class agreement) a tense/aspect marker, both preceding the root and a final vowel are obligatory, all other verb extensions are optional. The subject marker has a dual functional status; in case of a realised subject it functions as an agreement marker,otherwise as an incorporated pronominal argument (see (Bresnan and Mchombo 1986, 1987)

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**Verbal affixes in CiTumbuka**
Slot	Suffix	Example	Comment
1	Subject agreement or Subject pro-form
2	Tense & Aspect
3	Modality
4	Object marker, Reflexive marker
5	Extension (Derivation)
6	Tense & Aspect
7	Final Vowel (Mood)
8	Clitics