Luganda applicatives

The study of Bantu applicatives has a long tradition. Here are some references ordered by language

• Sesotho – Morolong & Hyman, 1977; Machobane, 1989; 'Demuth 2003;
• Haya – Duranti & Byarushengo, 1977; Hyman & Duranti, 1982;
• Chichewa – Marantz, 1984; Baker, 1988; Alsina & Mchombo; 1990;
• Kichaga – Bresnan & Moshi, 1990; Chishona – Harford, 1993
• Bemba Marten 2011

Of special interest have been the applicatives derived from transitive verbs, so called derived ditransitives. Bantu languages differ in whether they allow symmetric or asymmetric applicatives. Luganda belongs to the former class, and that means that both objects behave like core objects: they can become the subject of a passive construction, and they can be expresses as pre-verbal pronominal affixes on the applicatived verb.

In the discussion of applicatives a set of properties has been of particular interested, and in the following we will describe five of these properties using IGT examples from the TypeCraft's public Luganda corpus.

Our Luganda corpus contains at the point of writing (April 2016) 94 sentence where at least one verb is glossed as having an applicative extension.

These are the parameters we have considered:

• The thematic role of the applicativized argument (AA)
• The syntactic category of the AA (e.g. PN, N, PP)
• Presence of argument indices
• Linearisation Is the objects in ditransitive applicatives
• Applied object topicalization
• Applied object relativized

(1) VERB: tunuula Meaning: 'look', see' , Thematic Role: Stimuli, Argument index: "ki" is class 7, which gives a pejorative meaning to the applicativized object, Topicalization: -

Kale n’okitunuulira, ye mukadde, ye mubi.

“So you look at him/her, s/he is old and at the same time ugly.”

Kale

kale

soPARTCONJ

PRT

n’okitunuulira
ne	o	ki	tunuul	ir	a
andCONJ	2SG	AUG7AGR	look/seeVstem	APPL	FV
V

ye

ye

him/her

PN

mukadde
mu	kadde
1AGR	old-person
ADJ

ye

ye

him/her

PN

mubi
mu	bi
1AGR	ugly/bad
ADJ

(2) VERB: leeta Meaning: 'bring, Thematic Role: Beneficiary, AA-Category: AA not independently lexicalised , Argument index: + , Topicalization: -

Mumuleetedde ssente mmeka?

“How much money have you brought for him/her?”

Mumuleetedde
mu	mu	leet	er	dde
2PLSBJ	3PSGOBJ	bring	APPL	PFV
V

ssente

ssente

money

N

mmeka?
m	meka?
9	INTR

(3)VERB:"nywa",'Meaning: 'drink', Themantic Role: Location, AA-Category: AA not lexicalized independently, Argument index: Locative endclitic on the verb, Topicalisation: -

Agavubuka gabadde ganywerawo enjaga.

“The youths have been smoking marijuana from there.”

Agavubuka
a	ga	vubuka
IV	AUG22AGR	youth
CN

gabadde
ga	b	a	dde
REL22	be	FV	PFV
COP

ganywerawo
ga	nyw	er	a	wo
REL22	drinkVstem	APPL	FV	LOCREL16
V

enjaga
e	n	jaga
IV	9AGR	marijuana
CN

(4) VERB: "kola" Meaning: 'do', AA':Bebe Cool Thematic Role: Beneficiary, AA-Category: Np , Argument index: -, Topicalisation: -

Azze akolera Bebe Cool obubaga.

“She has been organizing parties for Bebe Cool.”

Azze
a	z	ze
3SG	comeVstem	PFV
V

akolera
a	kol	er	a
3SG	doVstemREP	APPL	FV
V

Bebe

Bebe

name-of-a-person

Np

Cool

Cool

name-of-a-person

Np

obubaga
o	bu	baga
IV	DIM14AGR	wedding/party
CN

(5)VERB: tunuula Meaning: 'look', 'see' AA: akazimbe kaganyegenya , Thematic Role: Stimuli, AA_Category: CN Argument index: -, Topicalisation: -

Tunuulira akazimbe kaganyegenya ke bayita poliisi y’eggwanga eddamba!

“Look at the unfavourable house that they call the police for the whole country!”

Tunuulira
tunuul	ir	a
look/seeVstem	APPL	FV
V

akazimbe
a	ka	zimb	e
IV	DIM12AGR	build	NMLZ
CN

kaganyegenya
ka	ganyegenya
DIM12AGR	unfavourable
ADJ

ke

ke

whichRELSBJ

PRT

bayita
ba	yit	a
3PL	callVstem	FV
V

poliisi

poliisi

police

CN

y’eggwanga
y’	e	gg	wanga
forGEN9AGR	IV	5AGR	country
CN

eddamba
e	d	damba
IV	5AGR	whole
ADJ

(6)VERB: soma, Meaning': 'read',Themantic Role: Malficiary, AA-Category: AA not lexicalized independently, Argument index: +, Topicalisation: - Note: The meaning read to me is here interpreted as talking bad about me (might be a slang expression)

Olaba ne kitabani kya gundi kyansomera luli.

“You see even the other guy’s son talked bad about me the other time.”

Olaba
o	lab	a
2SG	seeVstem	FV
V

ne

ne

even

PRT

kitabani
ki	tabani
AUG7AGR	son
CN

kya
ky	a
7AGR	GEN
PREP

gundi

gundi

someone

PN

kyansomera
ky	a	n	som	er	a
7AGR	PAST	1SG	readVstem	APPL	FV
V

luli
lu	li
11AGR	last-time
ADVtemp

(7)VERB:suula Meaning: throw, Thematic Role: Theme, AA-Category: AA not lexicalised independently,Argument index: DIM.12, Topicalisation: -

Ekasuulira omusajja atudde mu ntebe.

“It throws it to the man who is sitted in the chair.”

Ekasuulira
e	ka	suul	ir	a
SBJ9AGR	OMDIM12AGR	throw	APPL	FV
V

omusajja
o	mu	sajja
IV	1AGR	man
CN

atudde
a	tu	dde
3SG	sit	PFV
V

mu

mu

inLOC18AGR

PREP

ntebe
n	tebe
9AGR	chair
CN

(8)VERB: kaaba, Meaning: cry, AA: waggulu, Thematic Role: Locative, Category: CN/ADV place, Argument index: -, Topicalisation: -

Akawuka kongera okukaabira waggulu.

“The insect continues crying from up.”

Akawuka
a	ka	wuka
IV	DIM12AGR	insectANIM
CN

kongera
k	onger	a
DIM12AGR	continue	FV
AUX

okukaabira
o	ku	kaab	ir	a
IV	INF	cry	APPL	FV
V

waggulu

waggulu

above/upLOC

ADVplc

(9)VERB: buuka Meaning: jump , AA: ebintu, Themantic Role: Locative, Category: CN, Argument Index: Locative; endclitic on the verb Topicalisation: +, Relativisation: +

Ebintu by'ebuukirako bigwa.

“The things it jumps on fall down.”

Ebintu
e	bi	ntu
IV	8AGR	thing
CN

by'ebuukirako
by'	e	buuk	ir	a	ko
8OM	SBJ9AGR	jump	APPL	FV	REL17LOC
V

bigwa
bi	gw	a
8SBJ	fall	FV
V

(10)VERB: kaaba cry AA: nju, Themantic Role: Locative, Category: PP

Akawuka kakaabira mu nju.

“The insect cries from the house.”

Akawuka
a	ka	wuka
IV	DIM12AGR	insect
CN

kakaabira
ka	kaab	ir	a
SBJDIM12AGR	cry	APPL	FV
V

mu

mu

inLOC18AGR

PREP

nju
n	ju
9AGR	house
CN

(11)VERB:"jjuza" Meaning: 'fill', ''Themantic Role: Beneficiary, AA-Category: Argument is not lexicalised, Argument index: -, Topicalisation: - Applicativized verb is an infinitive, main verb is an imperative. Applicative is an infix

Muyambe omujjulize ekidomola ekyo

“Help him to fill up that jerrycan”

Muyambe
mu	yamb	e
3SG	help	SBJV
V

omujjulize
o	mu	jjuz	li		e
IV	2SG	fill	INFAPPL		SBJV
V

ekidomola
e	ki	domola
IV	7	jerrycan
N

ekyo

ekyo

PREP

(12)VERB:"tubuula" Meaning: 'look', Themantic Role : Stimuli, AA-Category: Argument is not lexicalised, Argument index: 3SG, Topicalisation: -

Kkapa emutunuulira n'emutunuulira.

“The cat looks and looks at him/her.”

Kkapa

kkapa

cat

CN

emutunuulira
e	mu	tunuul	ir	a
SBJ9AGR	1OM	look	APPL	FV
V

n'emutunuulira
n'	e	mu	tunuul	ir	a
and	SBJ9AGR	1OM	look	APPL	FV
V

(13)VERB:"tubuul" Meaning': 'look', AA: 'omusajja',Themantic Role : Stimuli, AA-Category: NP Argument index: -, Topicalisation: -

Oluvannyuma etunuulira omusajja.

“Afterwards it looks at the man.”

Oluvannyuma

oluvannyuma

afterwards

ADVm

etunuulira
e	tunuul	ir	a
SBJ9AGR	look	APPL	FV
V

omusajja
o	mu	sajja
IV	1AGR	man
CN

(14)VERB: 'fi' Meaning: 'die', AA: 'mu leeba' , AA-Category: NP, Topicalisation: -

Wali owuliddeyo omusajja afiira mu leeba?

“Have you ever heard of a man who dies in labour?”

wali
w	a	li
2SG	PAST	be
COP

owuliddeyo
o	wuli	dde	yo
2SG	hear	PFV	LOC
V

Omusajja
o	mu	sajja
IV	1SG	man
CN

afiira
a	f	iir	a
3SG	die	APPL	FV
V

mu

mu

inLOC18AGR

PREP

leeba?

leeba

labour

CN

(15) VERB:"buuk" Meaning: 'jump', AA: 'kantu', Themantic Role : Location, AA-Category: NP Locative/Relative Marker: 'ko', Topicalisation: - Relativisation:+

Ebuukabuuka naye nga buli kantu k'egezaako okubuukirako ekakoona ne kagwa wansi.

“It jumps repeatedly but whatever thing it tries to jump from, it knocks it (the thing) and it (the thing) falls down.”

Ebuukabuuka
e	buuk	a	buuk	a
SBJ9AGR	jump	FV	jumpREDP	FV
V

naye

naye

but

CONJ

nga

nga

whenCONJ

CONJS

buli

buli

everyDEF

DET

kantu
ka	ntu
DIM12AGR	thing
CN

k'egezaako
k'	e	gezaako
PARTREL	SBJ9AGR	try
V

okubuukirako
o	ku	buuk	ir	a	ko
IV	INF	jump	APPL	FV	RELLOC17
V

ekakoona
e	ka	koon	a
SBJ9AGR	DIM12SG	knock	FV
V

ne

ne

andCONJ

CONJC

kagwa
ka	gwa
DIM12AGR	fall
V

wansi

wansi

down

ADVplc

(16)VERB: suul Meaning': 'throw', Themantic Role: Theme, Argument Index: DIM.12., Topicalisation: -

Ekwata akawuka n'emimwa gyayo n'ekasuulira omusajja eyali atudde mu ntebe.

“It catches the cat with its mouth and it throws it to the man who was sitting in the chair, and it knocks him while asking him to tell it; "what is this?"”

Ekwata
e	kwat	a
SBJ9AGR	catch	FV
V

akawuka
a	ka	wuka
IV	DIM12AGR	insect
CN

n'emimwa
n'	e	mi	mwa
andCONJ	SBJ9AGR	4AGR	mouth
CN

gyayo
gya	yo
forGEN4AGR	REL9SBJ
TRUNC

n'ekasuulira
n'	e	ka	suul	ir	a
andCONJ	SBJ9AGR	DIM12AGR	throw	APPL	FV
V

omusajja
o	mu	sajja
IV	1AGR	man
CN

eyali
e	y	a	li
IVREL1OBJ	REL3SG	PAST	be
COP

atudde
a	tu	dde
3SG	sit	PFV
V

mu

mu

inLOC18AGR

PREP

ntebe
n	tebe
9AGR	chair
CN

(17)VERB:"buuk" Meaning: 'jump', AA: 'ebintu', Themantic Role : Location, AA-Category: NP Locative/Relative Marker: 'ko', Topicalisation: - Relativisation:+

Ebintu by'ebuukirako ne bigwa akawuka ne kongera okukaabira waggulu.

“The things it jumps from fall down and the insect continues crying from above.”

Ebintu
e	bi	ntu
IV	8AGR	thing
CN

by'ebuukirako
by'	e	buuk	ir	a	ko
REL8	SBJ9AGR	jump	APPL	FV	RELLOC17
V

ne

ne

andCONJ

CONJC

bigwa
bi	gw	a
8AGR	fall	FV
V

akawuka
a	ka	wuka
IV	DIM12AGR	insect
CN

ne

ne

andCONJ

CONJC

kongera
k	onger	a
DIM12AGR	continue	FV
V

okukaabira
o	ku	kaab	ir	a
IV	INF	cry	APPL	FV
V

waggulu

waggulu

above

ADVplc

(18) COPULA

Omulenzi n’omuwala basaana okubeera abayonjo ennyo ddala.

“It is proper for a boy and girl to be so very clean”

Omulenzi
o	mu	lenzi
IV	1SG	boy
N

ne

ne

and

CONJ

omuwala
o	mu	wala
IV	1SG	girlFEM
N

basaana
ba	saan	a
3PL	fit/proper	FV
V

okubeera
o	ku	b	e	er	a
IV	15INF	be	FV	APPL	FV
V

abayonjo
a	ba	yonjo
	3PL	cleaniliness
N

ennyo
e	nnyo
IV	very

ddala

ddala

(19) VERB 'kol' Meaning: 'do', Themantic Role: Beneficiary, AA-category: AA not independently lexicalised, Topicalization: -

Buli kasente ke baweereza okubaako kye mubakolera kafuuka k’abo be baaleka emabega.

“Every money that they send for you to do something for them is taken by those whom they left back.”

Buli

buli

every/each

DET

kasente
ka	sente
DIM12AGR	money
CN

ke

ke

whichRELSBJ

PRT

baweereza
ba	weerez	a
3PL	sendVstem	FV
V

okubaako
o	ku	baa	ko
	INF	be	LOC
COP

kye

kye

whichREL7

PRT

mubakolera
mu	ba	kol	er	a
2PL	3PL	doVstem	APPL	FV
V

kafuuka
ka	fuuk	a
DIM12AGR	turnVstem	FV
V

k’abo
k’	abo
forREL12	thoseDISTREL2
PRTposs

be

be

REL3PL

PRT

baaleka
ba	a	lek	a
3PL	PAST	leaveVstem	FV
V

emabega
e	mabega
IV	behind
ADVplc

(20) VERB: 'kasuk' Meaning: 'throw', Thematic Role:Goal, AA-category: AA not independently lexicalised, Relativisation:+

Ani abazaala mmwe embwa ze beebakako ne babakasukira obusente obutawera na ddoola emu?

“Who gives birth to you dogs which they sleep on and they throw to you money which doesn’t even sum up to one dollar?”

Ani
a	ni
3SG	whoQ
PROint

abazaala
a	ba	zaal	a
3SG	3PL	give-birthVstem	FV
V

mmwe

mmwe

you

PN

embwa
e	m	bwa
IV	9AGR	dogANIM
CN

ze

ze

RELOBJ

PRT

beebakako
be	ebak	a	ko
3PL	sleepVstem	FV	LOC
V

ne

ne

andCONJ

CONJC

babakasukira
ba	ba	kasuk	ir	a
3PL	2PL	throwVstem	APPL	FV
V

obusente
o	bu	sente
IV	DIM14AGR	money
CN

obutawera
o	bu	ta	wer	a
IV	14AGR	NEG	sum-up-to	FV
ADJ

na

na

evenCONJ

CONJS

ddoola

ddoola

dollar

CN

emu?

emu?

one

NUM

(21)VERB: 'tandik' Meaning: 'begin', Thematic Role: Event, AA-category: infinite verb,

We natandikira okusoma nga nnina emyaka etaanu

“I was five years old when I went to school”

We

we

when

natandikira
n	a	tandik	ir	a
I1SG	PAST	begin	APPL	FV
V

okusoma
o	ku	som	a
IV	INF15	read	FV
N

nga

nga

when

REL

nnina
n	nin	a
1SG	have	FV
V

emyaka
e	myaka
IV	years
N

etaanu
e	taanu
IV	five
NUM

(22) VERB: 'gejj', Meaning: 'throw', Thematic Role: Reason, AA-category: N, Topicalization: -

GuGgolola gwagejjera bwereere tegulina maanyi, akasajja akatono kakukuba katya?

“Ggolola fattened for nothing he doesn't have power, how can a tiny man beat you?”

Gu

gu

AUG20AGR

PRT

Ggolola

ggolola

Np

gwagejjera
gw	a	gejj	er	a
20AGR	PAST	fattenVstem	APPL	FV
V

bwereere

bwereere

nothing

N

tegulina
te	gu	lina
NEG	20AGR	haveVstem
V

maanyi

maanyi

power/energy

CN

akasajja
a	ka	sajja
IV	DIM12AGR	man
CN

akatono
a	ka	tono
IV	DIM12AGR	small
ADJ

kakukuba
ka	ku	kub	a
DIM12AGR	REL2SG	beatVstem	FV
V

katya?
ka	tya?
DIM12AGR	howQ
ADV

(23) VERB

Ani yanjulizza olugoye lwange?

“Who tore my cloth?”

Ani
a	ni
3PL	who
PROint

yanjulizza
y	a	n	yuz	li	zz	a
3SG	PAST	1SG	tear	INFAPPL	PFV	FV
V

olugoye
o	lu	goye
IV	11	cloth
N

lwange
lw	ange
11	minePOSS
PN

(24)

Mugende mwoleze ku lubalaza.

“go and wash at the verandar”

Mugende
mu	gend	e
2PL	go	SBJV
V

mwoleze
mw	o	le	z	e
	wash	APPL		SBJV
V

ku

ku

on

PREP

lubalaza
lu	balaza
	verandar
N

(25)

Amazaalibwa ge bagenda kugajaguliza bweru.

“hi/her birthday will be celebrated from overseas.”

Amazaalibwa
a	ma	zaal	ibw	a
IV	6	birth	PASS	FV
N

ge

ge

6POSS

REL

bagenda
ba	gend	a
SBJ2PL	go	FV
V

kugajaguliza
ku	ga	jagu	li	za
INF	6AGR	celebrate	APPL
V

bweru

bweru

out

(26)VERB: fuuk, Meaning: turn

Kyokka bwe byatandise akasajja ne kamufuukira ekyambika ne kamukuba n’atya.

“But when they started the man became a problem to him/her and he beat him/her and feared.”

Kyokka

kyokka

but

PRT

bwe

bwe

whenREL

PRT

byatandise
by	a	tandis	e
8AGR	PAST	startVstem	IND
V

akasajja
a	ka	sajja
IV	DIM12AGR	man
CN

ne

ne

andCONJ

CONJC

kamufuukira
ka	mu	fuuk	ir	a
DIM12AGR	REL3SG	turnVstem	APPL	FV
V

ekyambika
e	kyambika
IV	problem/threat
CN

ne

ne

andCONJ

CONJC

kamukuba
ka	mu	kub	a
DIM12AGR	REL3SG	beatVstem	FV
V

n’atya
n’	a	ty	a
andCONJ	3SG	fearVstem	FV
V

(27) VERB: som, Meaning: talk, Themantic Role: Subject matter, AA-category: AA is not independently realized,

Olaba ne kitabani kya gundi kyansomera luli.

“You see even (also) the other guy’s son talked bad about me the other time.”

Olaba
o	lab	a
2SG	see	FV
V

ne

ne

even/also

PRT

kitabani
ki	tabani
7AGR	sonANIMMASC
CN

kya

kya

of/forGEN

PREP

gundi

gundi

someone

CN

kyansomera
ky	a	n	som	er	a
7AGR	PAST	1SG	read	APPL	FV
V

luli

luli

the-other-time

ADVtemp

(28)VERB: ŋond, MEANING: 'easier', 'softer', Themantic Role: Beneficiary, AA-category: AA is not independently realized,

Nze n’obulamu bwaŋŋondera, okuva lwe nakufuna mukwano dear.

“Me even (also) life became easier for me since I got you dear friend”

Nze

nze

me

PN

n’obulamu
n’	o	bulamu
even/also	IV14	life
CN

bwaŋŋondera
bw	a	ŋ	ŋond	er	a
14AGR	PASTrm	1SG	ease/soften	APPL	FV
V

okuva
o	ku	v	a
IV	INF	since/from	FV
V

lwe

lwe

CONJ

PRT

nakufuna
n	a	ku	fun	a
1SG	PASTrm	INF	get	FV
V

mukwano
mu	kwano
1SG	friendANIM
CN

dear

dear

ADJ

(29)VERB: w Meaning: 'give'

mukimumpeelengako

“You will give it to him/her ”

mukimumpeelangako
mu	ki	mu	n	w	e	el	a	nga	ko
2PLSBJ	7OBJ	2pOBJ	1POBJ2	give		APPL	FV	HAB
V

(30)VERB: w Meaning: 'give'

mukimumpeelengako

“You will give it to him/her ”

mukimumpeelangako
mu	ki	mu	n	w	e	el	a	nga	ko
2PLSBJ	7OBJ	2pOBJ	1POBJ2	give		APPL	FV	HAB
V