ABSTRACT
This study examines the morpho-syntactic properties of the noun phrase in Sɩsaalɩ, a Gur language spoken in Ghana, with emphasis on the internal components of the noun phrase and how these elements are distributed in the phrase. The study examines the elements of both the simple and complex noun phrases. It shows that the Sɩsaalɩ noun phrase has an obligatory head and optional modifiers that may occur as post-nominal or pre-nominal elements.
The study also gives a detailed discussion on the Sɩsaalɩ relative clause as a modifier of the head noun. It shows how relative clauses are marked in Sɩsaalɩ and the various elements that are present in the Sɩsaalɩ relative clause. The grammatical positions that are accessible to relativization have been discussed. It also points out the position of the relativized noun in the embedded clause and the elements that can occur with the relativized noun. The study further shows the position of the relative clause when it occurs with other modifiers of the head noun.
There are dialectal differences as far as the internal constituents of the noun phrase are concerned and this study points out dialectal variations that occur in Sɩsaalɩ with regard to the internal constitutes of the Sɩsaalɩ noun phrase.
TABLE OF CONTENT
DECLARATION…………………………………………………………………………………………. i
DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………………………………. ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………. iii
ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………………………………. iv
TABLE OF CONTENT……………………………………………………………………………….. v
LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………………………. ix
LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………………………. x
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS……………………………………………………………………… xi
CHAPTER ONE…………………………………………………………………………………………. 1
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………. 1
- Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
CHAPTER TWO……………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK………………… 10
- Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………… 10
CHAPTER THREE……………………………………………………………………………………. 33
THE NOUN PHRASE……………………………………………………………………………….. 33
3.5.2. Reciprocals………………………………………………………………………………… 55
3.6.4. Numerals (Ordinals and Cardinals)……………………………………………….. 79
3.6.5 Quantifiers…………………………………………………………………………………. 86
CHAPTER FOUR……………………………………………………………………………………… 95
THE RELATIVE CLAUSE………………………………………………………………………… 95
4.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………… 95
4.2. The Structure of the Clausal Modifier in Sɩsaalɩ ……………………………………… 95
- The Relativized Noun and Other Elements…………………………………………… 97
4.7. Extra Posed Relative Clause…………………………………………………………….. 113
4.8 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………… 114
CHAPTER FIVE……………………………………………………………………………………… 115
CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………………….. 115
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………………………… 118
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1: Subtypes of Nouns…………………………………………………………………….. 34
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1: Ordering of the Elements in the Noun Phrase…………………………………. 24
Table 3.1: Noun class system……………………………………………………………………….. 41
Table 3.2: Kinship Nouns without Ma as a Plural Suffix………………………………….. 43
Table 3.3: Personal pronouns……………………………………………………………………….. 50
Table 3.4: Reflexive……………………………………………………………………………………. 54
Table 3.5: Singular and Plural Adjectives………………………………………………………. 74
Table 3.6: Possessives…………………………………………………………………………………. 94
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
| 1 | first person |
| 2 | second person |
| 3 | third person |
| COP | copula |
| DEF | definite |
| DEM | demonstrative |
| DET | determiner |
| FOC | focus marker |
| FUT | future |
| HAB | habitual |
| IMPERF | imperfective |
| INDEF | indefinite |
| LOC | locative |
| NOM | nominalizer |
| OBJ | object |
| PERF | perfective |
| PL | plural |
| PREP | preposition |
| PRES | present |
| PROG | progressive |
| PST | past |
| POST | postposition |
PST past
REL relativiser
SG singular
SUBJ subject
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Introduction
The structure of the noun phrase is one of the areas most studied by linguists cross- linguistically (Givon 2001, Boadi 2010; Issah 2013). Studies done on noun phrases have focused on the head noun in relation to its modifiers to identify the grammatical functions modifiers play in relation to the head noun. Some studies have examined what takes place when the elements in the phrase are combined in various ways. (Boadi 2010; Issah 2013).
The noun phrase is basically viewed as a phrase that has a noun as its head. Downing and Locke (1992) posit that the main function of the head is generally to specify the entity that the noun phrase refers to and it is responsible for the different syntactic relations that exist between all the other elements in the noun phrase. A single noun can appear as a noun phrase. In this situation, Aboh (2010) observes that this makes it possible for it to be focused, questioned, and relativized in most Kwa languages. Also, noun phrase may comprise a noun (head) and optional elements. These optional elements may include: adjectives, demonstratives, quantifiers, relative clauses, and numerals that provide additional information about the head of the noun phrase. The modifiers can be classified as pre-nominal or post-nominal elements and every language has its own distinct way of ordering the elements in the noun phrase. Some languages have strict ordering of the elements of the noun phrase while others ensure flexibility in their distribution. Creissels (2000) notes that the propensity for S-V-O languages to have the head noun as the final element in the
noun phrase is quite rare in African languages. A similar observation was made by Heine (1976) that demonstratives, numerals and adjectival modifiers come after the head noun and this is more frequent in most African languages where the noun-initial order is very common. Therefore, this study aims to provide a functional analysis of the structure of the noun phrase and determine the elements that can modify the head noun in Sɩsaalɩ, how these elements are distributed in the noun phrase and the functions they perform.
The Sɩsaalɩ Language
This section discusses the Sɩsaalɩ language and its people. It provides information about the dialects of the language, as well as some linguistic features of the morphology, syntax and phonology of the language.
- The Sɩsaala People
Sɩsaalɩ is a Gur language that falls under the Grusi language group (Naden 1988:16). Sɩsaalɩ is spoken in the Upper West Region of Ghana and in some parts of Burkina Faso and the speakers of the language are known as Sɩsaala. Sɩsaalɩ is spoken in towns such as Tumu, Ziŋi, Bosie, Fonsie, Gbeloo, Kajukperi, Korru and Peperimi. Most Sɩsaalɩ speakers are multilinguals who can also speak Dagaare and Wale. This is because Dagaare is employed as a medium of instruction in basic schools 1 to 3 and it is taught as a subject from Primary 4 to Junior High Schools in the Sɩsaala communities. The main occupation in the various Sɩsaala communities is agriculture.
