The causative construction in Lingala

This study of the causative verbal derivation in Lingála, marked by the postradical morpheme -is-, opens with a discussion of irregular causative morphology in some frequently used verbs. Then, it is demonstrated that, in contrast with what is the case in other Bantu languages, the Lingála extension -is- cannot be used for the adjutive, the imitative, intensive, or the instrumentative. The use of two consecutive instances of the same morpheme -is- is then discussed. This 'double causative' is either conceptually motivated or fulfils a purely grammatical function, i.e. not involving any speaker intention to express double causation. Subsequently, the interaction of the causative and applicative is analysed, and attention is devoted to the behaviour of the complements in a causative construction