A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH AND IGALA MORPHOLOGICAL PROCESSES (ENGLISH AND LINGUISTIC PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
English language is widely spoken across the globe. Igala language is not that favoured. It is spoken locally in its geographical location. This research studies the two languages comparatively. The notion of comparative analysis is essentially aimed at establishing, the possibilities of differences or similarities in any field of interest. In this research, the comparison is aimed at establishing the points of divergence and convergence in an international (English) and locally spoken language (Igala). Firstly, the theory of grammar universals proposes that all languages whatever their composition and disposition, are structurally and semantically identical.
Secondly, the notion of the universality of morphology in the same vein, proposes that there exist the concept of morphemes and morphological processes in all languages of the world. These claims account for the reason why this research, looks at morphological processes as used in both languages. The researcher examines the notion of morphological processes in Igala. To establish what processes are employed and how the processes occur in English. It is based on this comparison that data was generated for analyses on the findings of the research.
The researcher used the concept of Halliday’s (1975) scale and category theory, and Nida’s (1949) six principles for identifying morphemes in the study of both languages, after which conclusion were drawn.
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Language is very important to man and his environment. It has pulled a lot of concern from time past, till date – hence the birth of the field of linguistics. Here, languages are studied scientifically for obvious reasons. It is most fundamental to human communications and existence. It does not occur haphazardly De Saussure (1959: 7–11) but demonstrates patterns; it is innate abilities that result in formed grammatical sentences. It is purely attributable to humans “… a system of voluntary produced symbols”, Sapir (1921). The importance of language therefore cannot be overlooked. It cannot be separated from individual and society. Language is an embodiment of speech through which the lives and experiences of individuals in the society are expressed. Every language of the world has a set of specified rules that must be observed by the users to enhance understanding. These sets of rules are the concern of linguists. Hence the classification of language arms according to the tenets of these rules – syntax, phonology, semantics, pragmatics, morphology etc.
