Copula Constructions in Tsara

Abstract

This paper is mainly concerned with the description and analysis of copula
construction in Tsara, a little studied language of the Omotic family, spoken in
Southwest Ethiopia Regional State. The study employed Qualitative data analysis
methodology, data collection included elicitation, in-depth interview, and group
discussion. Secondary data was also used, while data analysis employed Basic
Linguistic theory (BLT). In Tsara, copula functions with predicate adjectives and
predicate nominals, without taking an object as compared to other verbal clauses.
The study has two parts: defines the copula and showing the structure of copula in
Tarsa. The first part defines copula as related to equative, attributive, locative,
possessive and existential clauses. The second part focuses on the structure of
copula. This includes non-tense/present tense, past, future, negative and
interrogative copula clauses, which are represented by -be or zero copula, -deenbe,
-ʃeri/ʃer-be, and ka- or kaya respectively. It also presents an overview of the
copula marker that express the attributive/equative, existential/possessive and
interrogative copula constructions. All copula forms discussed so far in the
language, are suffixed to either nouns or adjectives. The copula constructions in
negative and interrogative clauses are dealt with exhaustively.