Post-final locatives in Bantu: axes of variation and non-locative functions

In this paper we look at locative morphemes that occur in the post-final slot of Bantu verbs. We discuss their form and various axes of morphosyntactic variation, including, among others, their possible references and the relationship between post-final locatives and pre-stem locative object markers. We then proceed with an overview of the various non-locative functions the morphemes in question have acquired across Bantu. These include partitive and related uses as e.g. markers of politeness and negation, as well as comparative functions and uses as markers of concern, addition, manner and instrument. The discussion of each function includes a proposal for a diachronic pathway. Last, we give a short introduction to the contributions to this thematic special issue.