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This thesis discusses four selected topics on Yoruba nominal expressions: the syntax of possessives, the construal of bare nouns, the marking of specificity and salience, and plural marking strategies. Regarding possessives, it is proposed that they have one base structure (a v P shell). The difference in surface linear order between verbal and nominal genitives is determined by which of the two arguments move. In nominal genitives, the possessum moves. In verbal genitives, it is the possessor that moves. Regarding the interpretation of Yoruba bare nouns, it is shown that they can be construed in one of three ways: as generics, as indefinites, or as definites. First, generics may be lexically conditioned (with permanent state predicates) or grammatically conditioned (with transitory predicates through the use of imperfective maa-n). Second, wherever a generic construal is illicit, an indefinite construal is licit. Third, definite construals are discourse-linked. Regarding specificity, it is shown that Yoruba overtly marks specificity on NPs with the element kan. Regarding salience, it is shown that definite DPs are morphologically marked as salient (by virtue of being unique, in an identity relation or additive) through the use of ndd. Finally, regarding plural marking, it is shown that Yoruba uses three different strategies: contextually, semantically, or morphologically determined plurality. It is proposed that the deployment of the PLURAL feature is determined by feature percolation or feature matching. / Arts, Faculty of / Linguistics, Department of / Graduate

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Wisconsin--Maddison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-132).

This study describes the grammar of the Idaacha dialect of Yoruba in the areas ofphonology and morphophonemics within the framework of generative phonology and the autosegmental approach. In particular, it builds upon Kouyomou's (1986) major work, Phonologie de la langue Idaasha, and argues that the language has eighteen consonants, /b/,/m/, /f/, /t/, /d/, /s/, /n/, /1/, /r/, /c/, /j/, /j/, /k/, /g/, /kp/, /gb/, /w/, /h/, and twelve vowels, /i/, /u/, /e/, /o/, /c/, /o/, /a/, r/, /u/, /E /, /o/, /a/.Particular attention is paid to vowel harmony (VH) and tones. It is argued that the high vowels, /i/, r/, /u/, and /u/ do not participate in this process. As one would expect, VH rules do not apply across word boundaries; they apply before processes such as contraction, abbreviation, and compounding. In regard to tones, it is pointed out that a three-way tonal system is a major characteristic of the language. However, a phenomenon of M/L neutralization is underlined in a specific environment: a final low tone in a verb followed by a direct object noun. In this environment, a low (L) tone changes to mid (M), but the M/L alternation is optional before an initial low-toned noun.In addition to describing these phonological processes, this work examines the morphophonemics of the language. It argues that, like Standard Yoruba (SY), Idaacha hasopen syllables: V and CV. Therefore, words are shaped as VCV, CVCV, VCVCV, and longer lexical items build upon these basic sequences. Morphemes are described with special reference to derivational processes. The issue of prefixation is discussed, and it is claimed that, besides the existing nominalizing prefixes, one cannot prove convincingly, on the basis of synchronic analysis, that the initial vowel in every VCV noun is a prefix. The morphophonemics of nominals is described with regard to associative constructions, noun compounding, verb-noun contraction, and deverbal nouns. / Department of English

Thesis (Ph. D)--UCLA, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 265-282).

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Language Practice, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / The diversified ways of language use in different geographic areas of the world present valid reasons for the study of various usages of language. Invectives are a major aspect of language that have been greatly neglected in intellectual discourse. Motivated by the paucity of academic literature on invective-related studies and other stereotypes in human communication, the thrust of this work is to discuss the socio-cultural factors embedded in the two cultures in their approach of invectives. The study examines a comparative taxonomy of invectives in isiZulu and Yoruba languages from a socio-semiotic perspective. Drawing examples from the two languages, the study explores instances of semiotic analysis that are created by the assumption that signs, utterances and messages are situated within the context of social relations and processes. The study indicates that invectives are context and culture-dependent and may be perceived differently in line with the field of discourse, tenor of discourse and mode of discourse. The research tools included observation, interviews, and archival materials. Our research also identified and classified pre-assigned invectives, ritualized insult chants, innovative songs and visual insults. Adeosun’s (2012) proposed model of analyzing written poetry in Yoruba was used in analyzing the insults. The following typologies of insults (among others) were observed in the two languages: ethnophaulism, dehumanization, sexotypes and body parts. The study reveals striking similarities and differences in the invective-related discourses of isiZulu and Yoruba. / M

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Language Practice, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2015. / This research is designed to assess the validity of the Sapir Whorf hypothesis in relation to the linguistic and cultural notions of the Yoruba and Zulu language speakers’ via the evaluation of the culture enriched drama text The Lion and The Jewel by Wole Soyinka. The study, which uses both questionnaires and interviews to derive responses from participants, engages both the primary and secondary data throughout the chapters. The study queried both the hypothesis’ strong version, (language governs thought: linguistic classifications restrain and influence mental classifications); and its weak version, (linguistic classifications and their use influence thought as well as some other classes of non-linguistic activities) and their possible reliability. Participants’ ages were between 16 and 46 years old who all speak both English and isiZulu (isiZulu-speaking participants) and English and Yoruba (Yoruba-speaking participants). Questionnaires were used and interviews were conducted, the research questions were answered and the findings provided support for validity of the linguistic relativity hypothesis, that is, languages indeed influence thought. The findings also revealed that linguistic influence on cognition is not limited to different language speakers alone, but also same language speakers per level of exposure to other languages and concepts. Based on these findings, recommendations have been made. Among which is the soliciting more research on language and culture (acculturation and enculturation) such that societal peace, love, unity and development can be maintained and promoted in any monolingual, bilingual or multilingual society. Also, educators should be aware of the possibility of a psycholinguistic influence on thought and assimilate it into schools’ curriculum so that multiculturation is fully adopted and promoted in the schools.

Ce travail se penche sur les difficultés auxquelles font face les apprenants nigérians de français, précisément ceux de langue maternelle yoruba, quant à ce qui concerne les temps passés du français : l'imparfait et le passé composé. Nous sommes parti des productions des apprenants, deux exercices à trous et un écrit long de type rédaction, pour exposer les erreurs de temps commises. Nous avons découvert, suite à l'analyse des productions, que la plupart de ces erreurs proviennent du système aspectuo-temporel du yoruba, langue ne connaissant pas de conjugaison (désinences verbales) comme le français. Mais, la langue étrangère qu'ils sont en train d'apprendre constitue aussi une source de ces difficultés : il leur est particulièrement difficile de gérer les circonstants et adverbes temporels, les connecteurs syntaxiques et logiques, et l'ensemble des shifters accompagnant les temps verbaux français, surtout un écrit long. D'autre part, l'analyse des deux tests à trous en plus de celle des copies de rédaction montrent que, le manque de connaissance de certaines notions linguistiques est une autre cause des difficultés rencontrées par les apprenants : la notion de discours / récit et celle de premier / arrière-plan.En somme, nous pensons qu'un enseignement / apprentissage des temps basé sur la notion d'aspect grammatical, et prenant en compte les notions précédemment mentionnées, sera certainement plus productif. Nos propositions de pistes pour un meilleur enseignement/apprentissage des temps concernés terminent cette recherche. Nous pensons, par ailleurs, qu'en ajoutant à ce que nous venons de dire, les détails que nous ont révélés les analyses linguistiques des systèmes aspectuo-temporels des deux langues, nous pourrons construire par la suite une méthode d'enseignement et apprentissage des temps verbaux du passé pour l'apprenant nigérian. Ainsi, nous aurons apporté une autre contribution à l'enseignement / apprentissage du français au Nigeria. / Nigerian learners of French as a Foreign Language are generally faced with difficulties while using French Past Tenses in producing written composition. In this thesis, we are particularly interested in the case of the Yoruba learners of French language. The analysis of their written composition copies reveals that most of the errors committed originate from the mother tongue, Yoruba which does not know the tense-markedness of French language with her conjugation and complicated verb endings. This specifically means that there are problems closely related to the French Language herself. Actually, Yoruba learners find it particularly difficult to use French temporal adverbs and shifters in their written composition copies. On the other hand, through our analysis of copies of two objective tests in which students were to produce the missing verb forms, we also found that the learners lack some theoretical linguistic knowledge which is important in understanding French past tenses : for instance, Benveniste's “Discours & récit” and Weinrich's “Premier plan / Arrière-plan”. In addition, our analysis of the tempo-aspectual systems of both languages shows that contrary to French language, Yoruba aspects and tenses do not function separately.We believe that students would better understand the use of French past tenses if they have a good grasp of the “grammatical aspect” notion and if this linguistic notion is taken into account while teaching the topic. We brought the research to a close with different suggestions on how to improve the teaching / learning of the French tenses concerned here. On the whole, placing oneself on the didactic perspective, we are of the opinion that all these information put together can help develop a Methodology for the teaching and learning of French past tenses; and by so doing, advance the more the cause of the teaching and learning of French in Nigeria.