The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi

Kiba Ngapoula; Yvon-Pierre Ndongo-Ibara

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11

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The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi

Kiba Ngapoula^*

, Yvon-Pierre Ndongo-Ibara

Published in International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (Volume 12, Issue 2)

Received: 5 April 2026 Accepted: 22 April 2026 Published: 8 May 2026

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Abstract

This contribution tackles the scrutiny of the syntax and semantics interface of auxiliary verbs in Embosi, a Bantu language spoken in the northern part of the Republic of Congo. This paper draws data from observation, traditional folklore and some written books on the language under discussion. It comes out from the analysis that Embosi has three types of auxiliaries: the primary auxiliaries, modals, and semi-modals. The work proves that Embosi has two primary auxiliaries: idzà “be” and idià “have”; four pure modals: kà “duty with hesitation”, kòmi “obligation”, onami “condition”, and pènà “probability”; and five semi-modals: ikòngàà “futurity”, ipèrà “capacity”, ipùrà “desire”, itáá “prohibition”, and iwénà “progressive aspect”. It also demonstrates that Embosi primary auxiliaries and semi-modals are pre-verbal, whereas the pure modals are pre and post-verbal, and some of them (onami and pènà) may occur before the subject without affecting the semantics of the sentence. The analysis also specifies that two pure modals (kà and kòmi) may precede the subject and keep the same meaning. The study also attests that primary auxiliaries and semi-modals, in Embosi, have the morphosyntactic properties of finite-based auxiliaries, whilst pure modals are non-finite-based. Finally, the study proves that the negative auxiliary invariably parallels the syntactic function of a dummy auxiliary, regardless of verb type.

Published in	International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation (Volume 12, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11
Page(s)	29-36
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Embosi, Auxiliary, Modals, Pure Modals, Semi-modals

References

[1]	Guthrie, Malcom. 1948. The Bantu Languages of Western Equatorial Africa. Oxford University Press.
[2]	Chomsky, Noam. 1981. Lecture on Government and Binding. Dordrecht: Fortis, 1981.
[3]	Chomsky, Noam. 1995. The Minimalism Program. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press.
[4]	Ndongo Ibara, Y. Pierre. 2023. L’Art Oratoire chez les Ambosi. Cheikh Anta Diop.
[5]	Ngapoula, Kiba. 2025. Embosi Semantic Roles: The Case of Direct and Indirect Objects. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 8(4), 82-91, https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2025.8.4.10
[6]	Ndongo Ibara, Y. Pierre. 2012. Embosi-English Dictionary. Peter Lang.
[7]	Ngapoula, Kiba. 2020. Semantic and Pragmatic Analysis of Definiteness and Indefiniteness in English and Embosì. Ph.D. Thesis, Marien Ngouabi University.
[8]	Quirk, Randolph, Sidney Greenbaum, Geoffrey Leech, and Jan Svartvik. 1985. A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman.
[9]	Ronald, and Michael McCarthy. 2006. Cambridge Grammar of English: A Comprehensive Guide. Cambridge University Press.
[10]	Chomsky, Noam. 1957. Syntactic Structures. Mouton.
[11]	Chomsky, Noam. 1965. Aspects of the Theory of Syntax. MIT Press.
[12]	Huddleston, Rodney, and Geoffrey K. Pullum. 2002. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press.
[13]	Palmer, F. Robert. 2001. Mood and Modality. 2nd ed., Cambridge UP.
[14]	Ngapoula, Kiba. 2025. The Semantics of Embosi Modal Auxiliaries. International Journal of Linguistics, Vol. 17, No. 7, 23-38, https://doi.org/10.5296/ijl.v17i7.23224
[15]	Comrie, Bernard. 1976. Aspect: An Introduction to the Study of Verbal Aspect and Related Problems. Cambridge University Press.
[16]	Ndongo Ibara, Y. Pierre. 2022. The Grammar of Embosi Verb Phrases. UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

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APA Style

Ngapoula, K., Ndongo-Ibara, Y. (2026). The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 12(2), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11

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ACS Style

Ngapoula, K.; Ndongo-Ibara, Y. The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Transl. 2026, 12(2), 29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11

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AMA Style

Ngapoula K, Ndongo-Ibara Y. The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi. Int J Appl Linguist Transl. 2026;12(2):29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11,
  author = {Kiba Ngapoula and Yvon-Pierre Ndongo-Ibara},
  title = {The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation},
  volume = {12},
  number = {2},
  pages = {29-36},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijalt.20261202.11},
  abstract = {This contribution tackles the scrutiny of the syntax and semantics interface of auxiliary verbs in Embosi, a Bantu language spoken in the northern part of the Republic of Congo. This paper draws data from observation, traditional folklore and some written books on the language under discussion. It comes out from the analysis that Embosi has three types of auxiliaries: the primary auxiliaries, modals, and semi-modals. The work proves that Embosi has two primary auxiliaries: idzà “be” and idià “have”; four pure modals: kà “duty with hesitation”, kòmi “obligation”, onami “condition”, and pènà “probability”; and five semi-modals: ikòngàà “futurity”, ipèrà “capacity”, ipùrà “desire”, itáá “prohibition”, and iwénà “progressive aspect”. It also demonstrates that Embosi primary auxiliaries and semi-modals are pre-verbal, whereas the pure modals are pre and post-verbal, and some of them (onami and pènà) may occur before the subject without affecting the semantics of the sentence. The analysis also specifies that two pure modals (kà and kòmi) may precede the subject and keep the same meaning. The study also attests that primary auxiliaries and semi-modals, in Embosi, have the morphosyntactic properties of finite-based auxiliaries, whilst pure modals are non-finite-based. Finally, the study proves that the negative auxiliary invariably parallels the syntactic function of a dummy auxiliary, regardless of verb type.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi
AU  - Kiba Ngapoula
AU  - Yvon-Pierre Ndongo-Ibara
Y1  - 2026/05/08
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11
T2  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JF  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JO  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
SP  - 29
EP  - 36
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11
AB  - This contribution tackles the scrutiny of the syntax and semantics interface of auxiliary verbs in Embosi, a Bantu language spoken in the northern part of the Republic of Congo. This paper draws data from observation, traditional folklore and some written books on the language under discussion. It comes out from the analysis that Embosi has three types of auxiliaries: the primary auxiliaries, modals, and semi-modals. The work proves that Embosi has two primary auxiliaries: idzà “be” and idià “have”; four pure modals: kà “duty with hesitation”, kòmi “obligation”, onami “condition”, and pènà “probability”; and five semi-modals: ikòngàà “futurity”, ipèrà “capacity”, ipùrà “desire”, itáá “prohibition”, and iwénà “progressive aspect”. It also demonstrates that Embosi primary auxiliaries and semi-modals are pre-verbal, whereas the pure modals are pre and post-verbal, and some of them (onami and pènà) may occur before the subject without affecting the semantics of the sentence. The analysis also specifies that two pure modals (kà and kòmi) may precede the subject and keep the same meaning. The study also attests that primary auxiliaries and semi-modals, in Embosi, have the morphosyntactic properties of finite-based auxiliaries, whilst pure modals are non-finite-based. Finally, the study proves that the negative auxiliary invariably parallels the syntactic function of a dummy auxiliary, regardless of verb type.
VL  - 12
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Kiba Ngapoula

Department of Modern Foreign Languages, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo

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http://orcid.org/0009-0008-5560-9696
Yvon-Pierre Ndongo-Ibara

Department of Modern Foreign Languages, Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo

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APA Style

Ngapoula, K., Ndongo-Ibara, Y. (2026). The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation, 12(2), 29-36. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11

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ACS Style

Ngapoula, K.; Ndongo-Ibara, Y. The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi. Int. J. Appl. Linguist. Transl. 2026, 12(2), 29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11

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AMA Style

Ngapoula K, Ndongo-Ibara Y. The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi. Int J Appl Linguist Transl. 2026;12(2):29-36. doi: 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11,
  author = {Kiba Ngapoula and Yvon-Pierre Ndongo-Ibara},
  title = {The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi},
  journal = {International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation},
  volume = {12},
  number = {2},
  pages = {29-36},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijalt.20261202.11},
  abstract = {This contribution tackles the scrutiny of the syntax and semantics interface of auxiliary verbs in Embosi, a Bantu language spoken in the northern part of the Republic of Congo. This paper draws data from observation, traditional folklore and some written books on the language under discussion. It comes out from the analysis that Embosi has three types of auxiliaries: the primary auxiliaries, modals, and semi-modals. The work proves that Embosi has two primary auxiliaries: idzà “be” and idià “have”; four pure modals: kà “duty with hesitation”, kòmi “obligation”, onami “condition”, and pènà “probability”; and five semi-modals: ikòngàà “futurity”, ipèrà “capacity”, ipùrà “desire”, itáá “prohibition”, and iwénà “progressive aspect”. It also demonstrates that Embosi primary auxiliaries and semi-modals are pre-verbal, whereas the pure modals are pre and post-verbal, and some of them (onami and pènà) may occur before the subject without affecting the semantics of the sentence. The analysis also specifies that two pure modals (kà and kòmi) may precede the subject and keep the same meaning. The study also attests that primary auxiliaries and semi-modals, in Embosi, have the morphosyntactic properties of finite-based auxiliaries, whilst pure modals are non-finite-based. Finally, the study proves that the negative auxiliary invariably parallels the syntactic function of a dummy auxiliary, regardless of verb type.},
 year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Syntax and Semantics Interface of Auxiliary Verbs in Embosi
AU  - Kiba Ngapoula
AU  - Yvon-Pierre Ndongo-Ibara
Y1  - 2026/05/08
PY  - 2026
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11
T2  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JF  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
JO  - International Journal of Applied Linguistics and Translation
SP  - 29
EP  - 36
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijalt.20261202.11
AB  - This contribution tackles the scrutiny of the syntax and semantics interface of auxiliary verbs in Embosi, a Bantu language spoken in the northern part of the Republic of Congo. This paper draws data from observation, traditional folklore and some written books on the language under discussion. It comes out from the analysis that Embosi has three types of auxiliaries: the primary auxiliaries, modals, and semi-modals. The work proves that Embosi has two primary auxiliaries: idzà “be” and idià “have”; four pure modals: kà “duty with hesitation”, kòmi “obligation”, onami “condition”, and pènà “probability”; and five semi-modals: ikòngàà “futurity”, ipèrà “capacity”, ipùrà “desire”, itáá “prohibition”, and iwénà “progressive aspect”. It also demonstrates that Embosi primary auxiliaries and semi-modals are pre-verbal, whereas the pure modals are pre and post-verbal, and some of them (onami and pènà) may occur before the subject without affecting the semantics of the sentence. The analysis also specifies that two pure modals (kà and kòmi) may precede the subject and keep the same meaning. The study also attests that primary auxiliaries and semi-modals, in Embosi, have the morphosyntactic properties of finite-based auxiliaries, whilst pure modals are non-finite-based. Finally, the study proves that the negative auxiliary invariably parallels the syntactic function of a dummy auxiliary, regardless of verb type.
VL  - 12
IS  - 2
ER  -

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