Locations, goals, and endpoints

Abstract

Abstract This paper shows a structured functional split for the Mùwe Ké la-don (-‍na, -‍la, -‍ru/du), which previous work grouped under the umbrella term ‘Locative’. Drawing primarily on fifteen texts from elder speakers and authorities on the language, the study examines governing verb type, the nature of marked NPs, the resulting semantic case, and the presence of a definitive endpoint to motion to reveal five distinct case functions. Locative -‍na marks static location, allative -‍la a goal of motion without endpoint, and terminative -‍ru/du a goal of motion with endpoint. Additionally -‍ru/du marks locations of action with non-motion lexical verbs while -‍la retains its known dative function. The markers’ connective and temporal functions are also illustrated, demonstrating strong links to these primary case functions. This delineation replaces the idea of free variants with a structured system that provides a stable foundation for future research on Mùwe Ké morphosyntax.