On Serial Verb Constructions in Zarma

Abstract

This article discusses serial verb constructionsin Zarma, a Songhay language ofthe Nilo-Saharan family, along the lines of the claim that serialization is aproperty of universal grammar (UG). This is contrary to some opinions heldabout the status of the construction in the language. In this connection, thedata presented show a preliminary report that identifies three types of serialverbs in Zarma: Resultative, Consecutive and Directional/motion. Unlike whathas been identified in related languages, Instrument and Causativeconstructions in Zarma do not lend themselves easily amenable to a serial verbanalysis. Combining the VP shell hypothesis with the analysis developed inAboh (2009); the different types of verb series appear to point at some forms ofstructural variability in the realizations of serial verb constructions. Takinginto account findings from comparable studies, an expansion of the VP shell isrequired so that the unit gà, which separates the two predicates in verb seriescan be accommodated within the expanded functional category.