The ri+LM PP and the verb ‘be’ The ri+LM PP and verb n ɛ ‘have’

3.8 Ri in the domain of the TAM system of the verb

Here we are dealing with the particle ri functioning within the verb morphology itself to mark tense-aspect. The particle ri, in various combinations within the verb structure, expresses the imperfective, the inceptive and the habitual. Clearly, the habitual is understood as a variant of the imperfective.

3.8.1. The imperfective

The imperfective itself is expressed with 1. ri + verb, or 2. ri + verbal nominalisation, or 3. ri + sa + verbal nominalisation where sa is the verb ‘to do’. 3.8.1.1 Imperfective of a state 37 ‘The man, was being stupid like that.’ Tumbo 3.1 38 ‘Tobacco hunger is doing me i.e., ‘I need a smoke Nkyambe 1.37 3.8.1.2 Imperfective of an action ri+ verb 39 ‘He was singing.’ Nkyambe 1.63 3.8.1.3 Imperfective of a process ri+ verb 40 ‘The machete, it was becoming red.’ Kpagara 2.19 belɔ bɛlɔ become:red ri ri IMPERF ī ī 3sg INAN buɔn buɔn machete gyembɔ gyembɔ sing ri ri IMPERF à à 3sg. PST mɛ mɛ 1sg OBJ sa sa do ri ri IMPERF ī ī 3sg INAN PRES kang 0- kang NC7 tobacco nkya nkya hunger , dala dala thus wogala wogala be stupid ri ri IMPERF a a 3sg Morom morom man 3.8.1.4 Imperfective of ri + sa + nominalised verb In 41 there is a nominalised verb mɛkɔgɔ ‘grinding’ following the ri+sa. 41 She was grinding.’ Nkoe 4.2 In 42 the inceptive imperfective is expressed as mi+ri+nominalised:verb. It means ‘to begin an imperfective process that then persists for some time’. 42 ‘He was beginning to sleep.’ Nkyambe 1.41. i.e., ‘He has fallen asleep and is sleeping’ In 43 the habitual imperfective is expressed with ri +verb. 43 ‘I don’t habitually eat goat.’ Nkyambe 1.29. nb. de ‘eat’ is a verb, not a nominalisation

3.9 Contrast between to and ri in PPs

In 44 we see the important contrast between to and ri when these prepositions are used to make up PPs. Note the difference in the meanings of the clauses in 44 and 45. In the situation of the clause in 45, there were lots of worms, all over the meat, not just one. This shows clearly that for the usage of ri, the boundary of the LM is invoked, and that there is near complete coverage of and contact with that boundary. 44 ‘I have found worms IN the meat’ elicited data i.e., inside the meat, container invoked. tiri tiri meat to to IN binyamɔ binyamɔ worms byela byela find mɔɔ m ɔɔ 1sg. PERF taa taa goat de de eat ri ri HAB màà màà 1sg NEG . gwɔ 0- gwɔ NC1a sleep ri ri IN mi mi of à à 3sg. PST . mɛkɔgɔ mɛ- kɔgɔ NC6 grinding sa sa do ri ri IMPERF à à 3sg PST