Embosi Definiteness: A Semantic Account

Abstract

The contribution broaches the semantic analysis of definite description in Embosi, a Bantu language spoken in the Republic of Congo. The work is carried out through the meaning theories of reference and sense, and it also aims at providing promotion and documentation of this Bantu language. The analysis demonstrates that demonstratives are the primary means of expressing Embosi definite descriptions, aside from proper nouns and possessives. The study reveals that Embosi definiteness, semantically, encodes uniqueness with the existence of one and only one entity meeting the noun phrase description and inclusiveness with the totality of entities concerned with the depiction. The analysis also shows that the context-independent approach of the Embosi definite description does not provide a successful meaning for a felicitous communication; the context of use should be taken into account.