Case theory and theta theory in zulu passives*

Abstract

Alhoewel Chomsky ons bekendgestel het aan die jongste verfynings van die Regeer- en Bindteorie in die Minimalistiese Program (1992), is dit die Prinsipes- en Parametersmodel wat as raamwerk vir hierdie artikel gebruik word. Die subteorieë van Theta en Kasus word op Zulu passiewe konstruksies toegepas om te ondersoek hoe hulle in samehang met mekaar optree om die grammatika van die taal te beperk. Dit spruit voort uit Du Plessis en Visser (1992) se toepassing van die Regeer- en Bindteorie op Xhosa. Na 'n kort oorsig van die Prinsipes- en Para- metersversie van die Regeer- en Bindteorie word die nosie regeer verduidelik. Enkele aanpassings by die definisie van Regeer wat nodig is vir hierdie artikel, word voorgestel. Theta-teorie, toegelig deur voorbeelde van die argumentstruktuur van onoorganklike, oorganklike en bitransitiewe werkwoorde, word verduidelik. Die tematiese verhoudings in die vorm vanθ -rolle (toegeken by D-struktuur) word toegelig in die argumentstruktuur van mono-oorganklike en bitransitiewe werkwoorde in Zulu. Na toepassing van die passiewe transformasie, word die Kasustorie toegepas op verwysende NP's op die vlak van S-struktuur. Beide hierdie teorieë, wat steun op die noisie van Regering, is van toepassing op die Zulu passiewe struktuur ten einde we-gevormde sinne te verseker.

Although Chomsky has introduced us to the latest refinements of the Theory of Government and Binding in the Minimalist Programme (1992), it is the Principles and Parameters model that is used as the framework for this article. The sub-theories of Theta and Case theory are applied to Zulu Passives to explore how they interrelate in constraining the grammar of the language. This follows from du Plessis and Visser's (1992) application of Government and Binding Theory to Xhosa. After a brief overview of the principles and parameters version of the theory of Government and Binding, the notion of government is explained with some developments in the definition of government that are needed for this paper. Theta theory, followed by examples of argument structure of intransitive, transitive and ditransitive verbs, is explained. The thematic relations in the form of θ-roles (assigned at D-structure) are exemplified in the argument structure of monotransitive and ditransitive verbs in Zulu. After passive transformation, Case theory is applied to referring NPs at the level of S-structure. Both these theories which are contingent on government, apply to Zulu passives, to ensure well-formed sentences.