IN THE HEART OF KENYANG: A LINGUISTIC EXAMINATION OF COGNATE OBJECTS IN AN UNDER-EXPLORED LANGUAGE

Abstract

This paper examines the use of cognate objects in Kenyang, a Niger-Congo language spoken in Cameroon, and their relationship with transitivity. Cognate objects are nouns that display both argument and adjunct properties and share etymological roots with the verb. The study categorizes 50 Kenyang verbs based on whether their cognate objects are morphologically or semantically related to the verb and explores the syntactical properties that distinguish cognate objects from regular transitive objects. The paper also discusses theoretical implications within the generative framework and the transitivity properties of the verb as translated by the Case Theory and Theta Theory. The research findings contribute to the understanding of cognate objects and their relationship with transitivity in lesser-known languages, as well as the role of Kenyang in expanding the scope of linguistic research.