Relativisation in Swahili and Safwa: A Contrastive Analysis of Subject and Object Relative Clauses

Abstract This study provides an in-depth investigation of how subject and object relativisation are expressed in both Swahili, a well-documented language, and Safwa, which is less studied. It focuses on the patterns of relativisation, noun-class agreement, the morphological makeup of the relative markers, and the extent of grammatical incorporation. Using Grammaticalisation Theory and the Bantu Relative Agreement (BRA) Cycle as interpretive tools, the research employed a comparative design. Swahili data were drawn from well-established grammatical descriptions, while Safwa data were collected through elicitation from five native speakers from Hamwenje and Muungano villages in Mbeya Region, Tanzania. The analysis of 30 paired sentence constructions used Contrastive Analysis, supported by morphological segmentation and interpretation. The results reveal that both languages feature productive, noun-class-sensitive relativisation systems, though they differ in their structural implementation. In Swahili, relative markers are obligatorily integrated into the verbal complex, reflecting a high degree of morphological incorporation. In contrast, Safwa uses morphologically transparent relative markers that remain structurally separate from the verb, yet consistently maintain noun-class agreement. These patterns align with the Bantu Relative Agreement (BRA) Cycle, suggesting that closely related Bantu languages may exhibit different levels of grammaticalisation despite performing similar grammatical functions. This study offers the first systematic description of Safwa relativisation and enhances the comparative understanding of morphosyntactic variation within Eastern Bantu languages. It also recommends future research using larger corpora, spontaneous discourse data, and broader cross-linguistic comparisons to deepen the study of relativisation and grammatical change across the Bantu language family.