35 Episodic major participants introduced in “Canoe”
Pre-NO Pre-NI
S V
OC Post-NI
Post-NO
30 Nawe ku-bhuteero
nibhabhonekana NAR
abhaanu bha okubhasakira
But in the end they were
available people of to help
them But in the end, people to help them were available.
4.3 Reactivation of participants after an absence
In some instances, a longer phrase is used to refer to a participant or group of participants who has not been mentioned recently. This is seen a couple of times in “Canoe.” In 36, after a long absence, the
groom is referred to as omusaani waani omutwasi ‘my friend the groom’. The groom had last been mentioned in sentence 9, and since then the story’s focus was on the canoe accident.
36 Reactivation after an absence in “Canoe”
Pre-NO Pre-NI S
V OC
Post-NI Post-NO
34a [Abhaanu
bhejire bhaarebherera ku-njekekera]
People when they drew near
to disaster 34b
[34a] omusaani waani
omutwasi neechuka
omugasi waaye
friend my groom he remembered wife his
34c naabhusya
he asked When people drew near to the disaster, my friend the groom remembered his wife, he asked…
Another example from “Canoe” is in 37. The people watching the accident from dry land are last mentioned in sentence 14. After a long absence, they are reintroduced in clause 26a as abhaanu bha ku-
chaaro ‘people of the land’. 37 Reactivation after an absence in “Canoe”
Pre-NO Pre-NI S
V OC Post-NI
Post-NO
26a Abhaanu bha
ku-chaaro nibharuguura muno
People of on land they were surprised very
26b ---
nibhaayikaga ati
[26c–27] saying
that People on land were very surprised, saying…
4.4 Further reference to active participants
Often, after a major participant is introduced, he or she will be the subject of the next sentence with a referential demonstrative accompanying a descriptive phrase. This is exemplified twice in 38. The
narrator’s friend is introduced in 4b and then referred to with a referential demonstrative in the following sentence. The friend’s wife is introduced in sentence 5 and is then referred to in sentence 6
using a referential demonstrative.
38 Referential demonstratives in “Canoe”
Pre-NO Pre-NI
S V
OC Post-NI Post-NO
4a Mbe ---
:naariga niri na P3
omusaani So
I had friend
4b ---
naatogwaga NAR.IPFV
Jeeradi M. Mabhewo
he was called Jeradi M. Mabewo
5 Rusiku rwa
tareeye omusaani waani
oyo Ref
:aasookaga okutwara IPFV
omuyarakaji wa Echikerebhe
Day of date 27-2-1987
friend my that he was coming from
marrying daughter
of Kikerewe 6
Omuyarakaji oyo
Ref :aatogwaga
IPFV Peerusi Mayingu
Daughter that she was called
Perusi Maingu So, I had a friend, he was called Jeradi M. Mabewo. On 2 February 1987, that friend of mine was coming from
the marrying a Kerewe daughter. That daughter was called Perusi Maingu. In the following example, a group which acts as an episodic major participant is also referred to
with a referential pronoun the first time it acts as the subject after being introduced. In 39, a group of swimmers is introduced in clauses 21b–c, and then they are referred to as ‘those swimmers’ in 22a.
39 Referential demonstrative after participant introduction in “Canoe”
Pre-NO Pre-NI S
V OC
Post-NI Post-NO
21b [abhaanu abharebhe
mu-bhanu :bhaasigaaye
P3 kw-igogo
people some among those who
they remained on the log
21c [21b]
:bhaariga nibhamenya okuwuga]
P3.NAR they knew to swim
22a Abhawugi abho
Ref bhaasakiraga
P3.IPFV abheejabho
Swimmers those were helping
colleagues their
Some people among those who remained on the log knew how to swim. Those swimmers were helping their colleagues.
Also note that once a participant has been introduced, no marking is needed outside of verb when the same participant continues to be the subject of consecutive clauses, as shown in 40.
40 Continued reference in “Chameleon”
Pre-NO Pre-NI
S V
OC Post-NI Post-NO
40a Mutuuju neefugunyira
NAR Hare
he ran fast 40b
--- neefugunyira
NAR he ran fast
40c ---
neefugunyira NAR
he ran fast Hare ran, ran, ran fast.
See sections 6.3 and 6.4 for more discussion of continued topics and switch topics. See also section 9.3 for discussion of over-specification of participants, which can be used for emphasis.
4.5 Pronouns
