The future in Logoori oral texts

Abstract

Bantu languages are renowned for their complex tense and aspect systems. Tense reference in Bantu languages is also known to have variable application, often depending on information structure or the scale of the time frames involved. With apparently four positive polarity future tense inflections, the Luyia Bantu language Logoori (JE41) nearly tops the future tense distinction charts for Bantu and other languages. While the existence of these future-related forms is a given in the literature, the semantics and applications of Logoori future tense inflections are as yet undescribed. Logoori speakers also employ several other forms and constructions for denoting future time. This paper examines future time reference in a corpus of Logoori texts. Show more