STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE ITSEKIRI NOUN PHRASE

STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE ITSEKIRI NOUN PHRASE

CHAPITRE ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction to the Research

Noun phrase, also known as nominal phrase (abbreviated as NP), is a type of phrase in which the head word is a noun or an indefinite pronoun. Noun phrases are the most prevalent and repeating phrase kind. Noun phrases can be used as verb subjects and objects, predicate expressions, and preposition complements.

As a result, this research is a study that includes a structural analysis of the Itsekiri language’s noun phrase structure. This study will present data and conduct extensive analysis to support findings about the Itsekiri noun phrase.

The Itsekiri Language 1.2

The Itsekiri live in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, in the southern part of Delta State. Itsekiri are mostly found in Warri and Sapele.

The Itsekiri language belongs to the Yoruboid family of languages. Itsekiri is most closely connected to the Yoruba dialects of the south-east, with which it shares many similarities.

Nonetheless, Itsekiri is most closely related to both Yoruba and Igala and incorporates elements from both languages. It has also been influenced by Edo (Bini), Portuguese, and English, and has borrowed words from neighboring Ijaw and Urhobo languages. However, its basic structure, grammar, and vocabulary are essentially Yoruboid, with its closest relatives being the Yoruba dialects of the south eastern family (Ijeba Ilaje-Ikale Ondo, etc.).

The linguistic family of Itsekiri is depicted in the diagram below.

Williamson and Blench (2000) are the authors.

1.3 Formulation of the Problem

This study seeks to answer the following research questions:

What is the Itsekiri noun phrase’s grammatical structure?

What do nominal heads mean in Itsekiri noun phrases?

What does a noun phrase look like in Itsekiri?

In the Itsekiri language, how does the head of a noun phrase relate to its complement?

1.4 The Study’s Aims and Objectives

The following are the goals of this research:

To identify and analyze the syntactic structure of an Itsekiri noun phrase using X-bar theory.

To serve as a beneficial resource or document for linguistics students interested in researching and studying the Itsekiri noun phrase.

To act as a guide for Itsekiri who find it difficult to speak the language yet are eager to learn.

to help spread Itsekiri literacy

Contributing to knowledge

1.5 Importance of the Research

This work is significant because it used x-bar theory to examine the structure of the Itsekiri noun phrase. This study aims to dispel any misconceptions or assumptions that people may have about the linguistic syntactic structure of the Itsekiri noun phrase.

This researcher believes that this study will aid in the resolution of linguistic difficulties encountered by learners and users of the Itsekiri noun phrase.

1.6 Scope and Limitations

This study is limited to a syntactic structural analysis of an Itsekiri noun phrase using X-bar theory.

Methodology (1.7)

Primary and secondary data gathering approaches were used in this study. These primary data came from bilingual informants who spoke Itsekiri as well as another language.