Two Shona verbal infixes

Abstract

The elements termed ‘adverbial infixes’ are semantically interesting, and also pose problems for learners of the language. Two of these, /-mbo-/ and /-to-/, are studied; each represents a complex of meanings which is best approached as a central core or basic denotational meaning, from which other modified but still clearly related meanings, with additional connotations, are derived by the operation of variables such as time reference and focus, and other factors in the linguistic context and extra-linguistic environment.