Datapoint Pichi/‘Take’ serial verb constructions

Regarding instrumentals, non-serial alternatives involving prepositional phrases introduced by /wèt/ 'with' are preferred in all instances.

Values

Theme of the second verb, literal interpretation possible Frequency: 63.6%

Example 19-169:
À tekàn putàn pàntáp mì bɛ̀lɛ́.
À
1sg.sbj
tek=àn
take=3sg.obj
put=àn
put=3sg.obj
pàntáp
on
mì
1sg.poss
bɛ̀lɛ́.
belly
I (took him and) put him onto my stomach.

Source: Yakpo 2009: 520

Confidence:
Very certain

Theme of the second verb, literal interpretation impossible Frequency: 27.3%

Example 19-170:
Mì man tek ìn yay è putàn bɔ̀tɔ́n grɔn so.
Mì
1sg.poss
man
man
tek
take
ìn
3sg.poss
yay
eye
è
3sg.sbj
put=àn
put=3sg.obj
bɔ̀tɔ́n
bottom
grɔn
ground
so.
so
My husband diverted his gaze to the ground.

Source: Yakpo 2009: 521

Confidence:
Very certain

Instrument of the second verb, no resumptive pronoun Frequency: 9.1%

Example 19-171:
Dɛ̀n tek wan blak làpá dɛ̀n kɔba yu.
Dɛ̀n
3pl
tek
take
wan
one
blak
black
làpá
cloth
dɛ̀n
3pl
kɔba
cover
yu.
2sg.emph
They took a black cloth [and] they covered you. OR: They covered you with a black cloth.

Source: Yakpo 2009: 631

Confidence:
Very certain