@article{jbp:/content/journals/10.1075/jpcl.5.1.04kih, author = "Kihm, Alain", title = "Complementizer, Verb, or Both? Kriyol Kuma", journal= "Journal of Pidgin and Creole Languages", year = "1990", volume = "5", number = "1", pages = "53-70", doi = "https://doi.org/10.1075/jpcl.5.1.04kih", url = "https://www.jbe-platform.com/content/journals/10.1075/jpcl.5.1.04kih", publisher = "John Benjamins", issn = "0920-9034", type = "Journal Article", abstract = "So-called "pseudo-complementizers," i.e., complementizers that are homophonous with a verb meaning 'say', are a widespread feature among creole (and some noncreole) languages. Kriyol kuma belongs to this category. The homophony thesis is criticized, and it is argued that kuma is a verb in all of its uses. When in a Comp-like position, it is analyzed as a gerund in an intermediate clause that is a matrix for the lowest clause. Because of its lexical specifications (strict intransitivity), kuma must move into its own Comp whenever the lowest clause is selected and has to be 0-marked by the verb of the highest clause. A structure results that is superficially indistinguishable from an ordinary embedding configuration.", }