The Development of Negative ‘have’ Auxiliaries in the Bantu Languages of the Middle and Lower Zambezi

This paper studies the grammaticalization of possessive predicates into negative auxiliaries expressing main clause negation in the Bantu languages of the Middle and Lower Zambezi River region. Drawing on a convenience sample of languages from this linguistic area, the study identifies four distinct types of ‘have’ predicates that function as negative auxiliaries in a little-known pattern of asymmetric main clause negation in Bantu languages. Focusing on patterns of interlingual and intralingual variation, the paper considers the functional and conceptual homogeneity of the auxiliary constructions versus their formal heterogeneity, taking into account the sociolinguistic context of sustained language contact through migration, trade, and the movement of soldiers. The attested variation is moreover suggestive of a ‘negative possessive cycle’ highly reminiscent but still different from a better known ‘negative existential cycle’ which has been connected to long-standing contact situations among Bantu languages. The findings contribute to our understanding of negative auxiliary systems in Bantu, while at the same time offering insights into the mechanisms driving linguistic innovation in the region.