Verb Phrases

Verb phrases (VP's) in Sereer consist of a verb optionally modified by any or all of the following components: any number of adverbs, a noun phrase, or a prepositional phrase. These components are ordered as follows:

1) Verb
2) Adverb / Noun Phrase / Prepositional Phrase

Auxilliaries

There exists an auxiliary verb xan 'future', or special preverbal morph kan (which marks predicate focus). Both are preverbal to the main verb, as in <glr id="willcook"/> and <glr id="drumming"/>.

<gl id="willcook" fontsize=12> xam jaw \gll xan-am jaw FUT-1sg cook \trans I will cook </gl>

<gl id="drumming" fontsize=12> kam fakaa \gll kan -am fak -aa Prev -1sg drum -PROG \trans I am drumming </gl>

There exists a progressive aspect auxiliary in Sereer, and as an auxiliary, is distinct from verbs that express the main verbal content of the clause. Inflected for subject, this auxiliary -xe features characteristic semantic emptiness, expressing only progressive aspect, as shown in (3) - (5):

<gl id="workAboutTo" fontsize=12> mexe jalaa \gll me-xe jal-aa 1sg-PROG rain-PROG \trans I am working </gl>

<gl id="RainAboutTo" fontsize=12> axe deɓiidaa \gll a-xe deɓ-iid-aa 3sg-PROG rain-PROX-PROG \trans It's going to (start) raining </gl>

<gl id="hurtAboutTo" fontsize=12> axe ɗomiida \gll a-xe ɗom-iid-aa 3sg-PROG hurt-PROX-PROG \trans It's going to (start) hurting </gl>

Modal information is not expressed through auxiliaries, but instead through main verbs that appear to carry full verbal inflection.

Valence patterns and alignment

In basic word order, Sereer is a nominative-accusative language whereby the subject of the transitive verb [A] patterns syntactically with the subject of intransitive verbs [S] by appearing before the verb and/or auxilliary, whereby the direct object of a transitive verb [O] appears following the verb and/or auxiliary.

Intransitive Verbs

Sereer is a head marking language, with subject agreement on verbs. Subjects make be overtly realized preverbally as in (6), or omitted and expressed with subject agreement on auxilliaries and/or verbs (7) and (8):

<gl id="deadman" fontsize=12> okoor oxe axona \gll okoor ox-e a-xon-a man DET-DEF 3sg-be.dead-NPT \trans The man is dead </gl>

<gl id="man sleeping" fontsize=12> i-ƭaanaa \gll i-ƭaan-aa 3sg-sleep-PROG \trans We sleep </gl>

<gl id="man sleeping" fontsize=12> inwe ƭaanaa \gll i-nwe ƭaan-aa 3sg-PROG sleep-PROG \trans We are sleeping </gl>

Transitive Verbs

Direct object arguments follow verbs, as in (9):

<gl id="JegCow" fontsize=12> Jegan afala naak le \gll Jegan a-fal-a naak le masc.name 3-kick-3. cow DET \trans Jegan kicks the cow </gl>

Direct objects may be overtly realized, or omitted, as in (10) and (11):

<gl id="laketurtleyes fontsize=12> ambeel ale dasna xomb le \gll ambeel ale a-das-in-a turtle DET lake DEM 3-hide-CAUS-3 \trans </gl>

<gl id="JegCow" fontsize=12> ambeel ale dasna \gll ambeel ale a-das-in-a lake DEM 3-hide-CAUS-3 \trans The lake conceals it. </gl>

If a direct object is raised, and appears preverbally, the verb is marked with -u for focus. See Focus Fronting and Extraction [1]

Ditransitive Verbs

Direct object and oblique arguments follow verbs, and there are no restrictions on the ordering of these arguments, as shown in (10) and (11):

<gl id="YandeLetter" fontsize=12> Miñaan acooɗa (a) Yande oleetar ole \gll Miñaan a-cooɗ-a (a) Yande oleetar ol-e masc.name 3sg-give-3sg OBJ fem.name DET \trans Miñaan gave Yande the letter </gl>

<gl id="LetterYande" fontsize=12> Miñaan acooɗa oleetar ole (a) Yande \gll Miñaan a-cooɗ-a oleetar ol-e (a) Yande masc.name 3sg-give-3sg fem.name DET \trans Miñaan gave the letter (to) Yande </gl>

For applicative arguments, the same lack of restrictions apply, as shown by (12) and (13):

<gl id="CowDoc" fontsize=12> Jegan afalana naak le a doktoor fe \gll Jegan a-fal-an-a naak le a doktoor fe masc.name 3-kick-BEN.APPL-3 cow DET OBJ doctor DET \trans Jegan kicked the cow for the doctor. </gl>

<gl id="DocCow" fontsize=12> Jegan afalana a doktoor fe naak le \gll Jegan a-fal-an-a a doktoor fe naak le masc.name 3-kick-BEN.APPL-3 OBJ doctor DET cow DET \trans Jegan kicked for the doctor the cow </gl>

If an oblique is raised, and appears preverbally, the verb is marked with -u for focus. See Focus Fronting and Extraction [2]

Adverbials and Other Modifiers

Adverbs

The position of adverbials is as flexible in Sereer as in English, as examples (1) and (2) show:

<gl id="ex1" fontsize=12> nangam weʄa legleg \gll nang -am weʄ -a legleg habitual 1sg swim INF sometimes \trans I swim often. </gl>

<gl id="ex2" fontsize=12> legleg nangam weʄa \gll legleg nang -am weʄ -a sometimes habitual 1sg swim INF \trans Often I swim. </gl>

Adverbs themselves appear to be verbs used in serial verb constructions, or appearing with deverbalizer -u as in (3) and (4):

<gl id="ex3" fontsize=12> retaam ñofu \gll ret-a-am ñof-u go-NPST-1sg be.quick-DEV \trans I go quickly </gl>

<gl id="ex4" fontsize=12> ñofaam oret \gll ñof-a-um o-ret be.quick-NPST-1sg AGR-go \trans I hurry (up) and go. </gl>

See adverbs [[3]]

Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional phrases appear after the verb :

<gl id="RopeOn" fontsize=12> axuuma oƥaak tok asondeel ale \gll a-xuum-a oƥaak tok asondeel ale 3-tie-3 rope on candle DET \trans He ties a rope on the candle </gl>

<gl id="glasses" fontsize=12> ga'am okoor oxe kam ower ole \gll ga'-am okoor oxe kam ower ole see-1sg man DET inside glass the \trans I see the man inside the glass </gl>

See "Adpositions" [4]

It appears prepositions are optionally expressed;however, If an argument introduced by a prepositional phrase is raised, and appears preverbally, the verb is marked with -u for focus. See Focus Fronting and Extraction [[5]]

<gl id="glasses" fontsize=12> ofiloor ole abeera (kam) oxiiƈ ole \gll ofiloor ole a-beer-a (kam) oxiiƈ ole bullet DET 3-go.by-3 (inside) bone DET \trans The bullet went (through) the bone </gl>

<gl id="glasses" fontsize=12> kam oxiiƈ ole ofiloor ole ɓeeru \gll kam oxiiƈ ole ofiloor ole ɓeer-u inside bone DET bullet DET go.by-FOC \trans Through the bone the bullet went. </gl>

Serialization

Sereer features serial verb constructions, with verbs taking similar inflection across verb forms, contrary to some forms of subordination and coordination.

Coordination between verb phrases consists of serial verbs: <gl id="SitandWork" fontsize=12> nuumofa njala \gll nuun-mof-a n-jal-a 3pl-sit-NPST 3pl-work-NPST \trans You guys sit and work </gl>

Modal verbs war 'must, might, should' and wag 'be able' take full inflection and are followed by a non-finite verb form:

<gl id="canCook" fontsize=12> wagaam (o)jaw \gll wag-a-um (o)jaw be.able-NPST-1sg AGREE-cook \trans I can cook. </gl>

<gl id="ShouldCook" fontsize=12> waraam (o)jaw \gll war-a-um (o)jaw modal-NPST-1sg AGREE-cook \trans I must cook. </gl>

<gl id="MightCook" fontsize=12> xam wara (o)jaw \gll xan-am war-a (o)jaw FUT-1sg modal-NPST AGREE-cook \trans I might cook. </gl>