NSUK Repository :: Browsing by Author "Abraham, David A."

Browsing by Author "Abraham, David A."

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Open Access
Analysis of Illocutionary Acts in Asabe Kabir Usman’s Destinies of Life
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2018-03-13) David, Stephen O.; Abraham, David A.
This paper anchors the Analysis of Illocutionary Acts in Asabe Kabir Usman’s Destinies of Life. The study aims to bring out the illocutionary acts as contained in the novel being analysed. The data collection was primarily from the text; Destinies of Life. The theoretical framework is the Speech act theory as propounded by Searle (1969). The different types of illocutionary acts used in the text were identified and analysed. Simple percentage was also used thereafter to analyse the data. The five types of illocutionary acts itemised by Searle were found in the text. All together, the text contained a total of 570 occurrences of illocutionary acts with 239 being directives, 201 representatives, 49 expressives, 49 declaratives and 32 commissives, From the analysis, it was glaring that directives as one of the illocutionary acts which has to do with characters expressing their desires/wishes to get something done was more prominent in the text.
Open Access
Compounding in Igala: Defining Criteria, Forms and Functions
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2020-01-01) Abraham, David A.; Omachonu, Gideon Sunday
In spite of the fact that compounding is really pervasive in the world's languages and despite the huge volume of literatures on compounding in languages including African languages, a critical assessment of the extant literature on compounding in African linguistics reveals that providing satisfactory criteria for defining compound hood still requires both language specific and cross-linguistic investigations for dependable linguistic generalizations. In Igala, in particular, not much attention has been devoted to describing compounding. The present study therefore investigates compounding in Igala, a West Benue-Congo language spoken in north central Nigeria. Defining compound hood and distinguishing compound words in Igala, the study shows and favours semantic criteria above phonological and syntactic considerations. Compounding generally has been found to be a highly productive word formation process in Iglala in terms of forms and functions.http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/uiah.vl3i2.10
Open Access
CONTEXTUALIZING THE LANGUAGE OF ADVERTISING IN THE PRINT MEDIA
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2013-08-25) Abraham, David A.; Adewole, Alagbe A.
The language of advertising is seen to be functionally distinct such that it functions as a means to an end and not an end in itself. The advertiser in a bid to get consumers favorably disposed to products and services on offer, does not follow the laid down rules of grammar but prefers catchy structures and makes use of puffery in his language which makes critics view it as deceptive. This paper concerned itself with the structures used in print media advertising using advertisements collected from The Punch from June 2007- June 2008. It discussed the structures and language claims peculiar to advertisers.
Open Access
EUPHONIC AND SYLLABLE STRUCTURE PROCESSES IN GBAGYI
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2016-12-09) Abraham, David A.; Ashikeni, Thomas Ogah; Dalhatu, Abigail
This paper, entitled “ Euphonic and syllable structure processes in Gbagyi” is an investigation of the effect of adjacent sounds on each other, their peculiar patterns and the syllable structure processes in Gbagyi language. A descriptive analytical method was used to elicit data using the Blench word list as instrument for collection of data. This research revealed that in Gbagyi language, a consonant is palatalized before a front high vowel, a consonant is labialized before a rounded vowel, the vowels of Gbagyi are constrained by a partial harmony system, a vowel is lengthened when it occurs before a consonant or before another vowel of the same kind, the final vowel of a verb stem is deleted before a noun or nominal which begins with a vowel. These findings no doubt contribute to the description of the sound systems of Gbagyi and the discipline of Phonology in general.
Open Access
Euphonic and Syllable Structure Processes in Gbagyi
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2015-12-10) Abraham, David A.; Dalhatu, Abigail Musa; Ashikeni, Thomas Ogah
This is an investigation of the effect of adjacent sounds on each other, their peculiar patterns and the syllable structure processes in Gbagyi A descriptive analytical method was used to elicit data using the Blench word list of 1017 lexical items as instrument for data collection. This research revealed that in Gbagyi, a nasal consonant assimilates the features of the consonant contiguous to it, a consonant is palatalized before a high front vowel, a vowel is nasalized after a nasal consonant and a final vowel of a verb stem is deleted before a noun or nominal which begins with a vowel. These findings no doubt contribute to the description of the sound systems of Gbagyi and the discipline of Phonology in general.
Open Access
GLOBALIZATION, INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AND SCHOLARSHIP IN NIGERIA: CAPACITY-BUILDING IN ICT INTEGRATION IN EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS AND LEARNER
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2011-06-18) Omachonu, Gideon Sunday; Abraham, David A.
The paper examines the relevance of globalization and ICT to scholarship in Nigeria. It argues that technological progress goes hand in hand with globalization at all levels of society. Even though globalization and ICT may not be age mates; they are “play mates ” and “bed fellows” in development issues. In other words, ICT and Globalization though two different phenomena (each with its own history and its own trajectory), are now, however, closely associated or linked by the vagaries of history and the imperatives or compelling influences of the new “consciousness industry ”. It has been observed that whereas globalization aims at unifying the world systems to put man's life at its best and makes his environment “most worth living ” for him, ICT is the pivot and the dynamo that energizes the process. The distractions and attendant bottlenecks notwithstanding, globalization and ICT have the potential to dramatically transform, reshape and turn around the ways in which people organize their lives, interact with one another and participate in issues affecting the society in the various spheres including scholarship. These twin- necessary evils, the paper asserts, have come to stay and so there is hardly anything anybody can do but to devise strategies for coping with the situation rather than merely enduring the pains. It is against this background that the paper proposes a step by step capacity-building in ICT integration in education, identifies the challenges that come with development in the "consciousness industry ” as engineered by globalization and ICT, and suggests strategies for managing or coping with the challenges.
Open Access
Harmonizing Wana and Wangibi Dialects for the Standardization of Eggon Language
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2020-03-17) Amende, Charles A.; Tanimu, Yusuf; Abraham, David A.
in a multilingual community is accepted and codified. When a chosen dialect amongst others is reduced to writing, having a set of rules guiding the orthography, it is said to be a standard language. Standardization occurs as a result of a direct and deliberate intervention by a society. The standard language becomes a symbol of nationhood or is designated for official and social use in the community. This research discovered that Eggon, the language under review has about 14 dialects spoken across the Eggon communities and none of these dialects has been chosen as a standard dialect. The paper tries to identify the problems hindering the standardization .of Eggon and also tries to ascertain what steps need to be taken to develop a standard form of Eggon. A descriptive research method approach is used in this study and data was collected through interaction with informants that are competent in the language. The study reveals that a major factor hindering the standardization of Eggon is the challenge of which dialect to be used for the standardization. Findings indicate that the orthographic contrast between the two (2) dialects which are Wana and Wangibi is very minimal; therefore, efforts should be made to integrate the two (2) dialects to form a standard orthography of Eggon language, in accordance with the orthographies proposed in this work. This work tries to harmonize both mutually intelligible and widely spoken dialects and suggest that the harmonized version be accepted as a standard language that can be spoken across Eggon communities.
Open Access
THE IMPACT OF LEXICAL GROWTH AND CHANGE IN TIV LANGUAGE
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2011-06-11) Abraham, David A.
The fact that all languages are continually in a state of change is no longer issue for argument. However, there is perhaps certain unevenness on the rate and manner of change which varied from time to time and from language to language. The growth and change that take place in language is so gradual that it is hardly possible to notice when it occurs not even the native speakers. In this way, language change, especially in Tiv language provides such afascindfing subject of study because it provides information about the history of the language including its structure and use. The primary concern of this paper therefore, is to examine the causes, processes and channels through which the vocabulary Tiv language is being enlarged. This study will go a long way in making the people who use the language readily understand the complex forces names forced on them. The survey design method was used in this work, where personal interviews and other secondary sources were used for data collection. The paper is very significant because through its findings, it was clearly shown that Tiv language has recorded significant changes especially in its vocabulary. It was discovered that several new words have crept into Tiv language, thus swelling up its vocabulary. It was discovered also that Tiv language has experienced an expansion of its vocabulary through a number of language growth processes which include: borrowing, coinages, compounding, word formation of sound and name words, and that language change also occurs in Tiv language, through narrowing and extension and other processes. Each of these processes made remarkable impact on the change, expansion and growth of Tiv vocabulary. The paper will serve as a source material upon which further research may be based.
Open Access
The Implications of the Socio-Cultural Meaning of Yoruba Greetings
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2008-09-01) Abraham, David A.; Adewole, Alagbe A.
This paper examines one semantic field namely, greetings that are prevalent in the Yoruba cultural settings, with the intention of enhancing better understanding of the culture as well as throwing more light on the semantic field under consideration. A review of the concept of culture in addition to the notion of context of situation was carried out. The analysis of the types of greetings such as greetings derived from situations and greetings based on celebrations. The paper concludes that the view of mind implies that meaning is always situated in specified socio-cultural practices and experience! It is thus concluded that culture and language combine to reflect cosmological view of a people as well as their ideology.
Open Access
Language Endangerment and Globalization: The Northern Experience
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2010-09-01) Abraham, David A.; Amende, Charles A.
Much emphasis over the last two decades on language endangerment has only been placed firmly on the protection of cultural diversity, ahead of the sweeping homogenizing tidal wave of globalization. Linguists have been worried over the vast amount of cultural and linguistic knowledge that is disappearing in an increasing global world. The fear of language loss on daily basis or endangerment in this era of globalization has been a great concern to most Linguists which is the main concern this paper. The endangered languages are doomed to go into extinction like species lacking reproductive capacity. The target of this paper is therefore to discuss the circumstances; using the northern Nigeria language situation as a case study, that leads to language mortality, through the corollaries and agencies of globalization. The paper discovered that globalization has both positive and negative effects of globalization although the negative effect is more pronounced on the languages. The paper therefore recommends that mobilize remedial steps must be languages from the negative effects of globalization. This, if done will reduce the rate of language endangerment and death especially in northern Nigeria.
Open Access
LEXICAL BORROWING: A CASE STUDY OF BASSA LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2011-01-12) Philip, Imoh Manda; Abraham, David A.
Language development involves such deliberate systematic activities as a conscious attempt e.g. by a government or a community to promote one language or one form of a language over another. This is done through codification or the planning of specific vocabulary. It also involves designing a standard orthography, dictionary, primers written texts and a meta language etc. Factors responsible for this activity in most African languages are inadequacy of languages with current use, domination of foreign languages. The evidence of contact made by two or more languages is borrowing. When people from different linguistic backgrounds come in contact, they tend to exchange cultures and languages, they tend to make use of words from each other's languages in order to refer things, activities or processes, ways of behaviour, organization etc which do not exist in their native vocabularies. Some of the foreign words employed get intergraded into languages' vocabularies, but are altered in pronunciation in order to adapt to the phonological patterns of the language acquiring them. This process has help language to develop their inadequate vocabularies. This work focuses on the role of borrowing English words for the development of Bassa language.
Open Access
The Linguistic Situation in Northern Nigeria and the Plights of Minority Languages: A Study of Hausa and Gbagyi Languages
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2018-11-25) Abraham, David A.; Samuel, Nuhu Baba
This paper investigates the sociolinguistic situation of minority languages in the northern part of Nigeria.and the dominance of Hausa language on small group languages using Gbagyi as a case study. The paper is aimed at identifying the aspects of the language that the people have maintained or lost over time. In doing so, we examine the attitudes of the native speakers of Gbagyi towards.their language and Hausa by succinctly studying the factors responsible for the gradual disappearance or decline in the use of Gbagyi. A word list of 400 hundred (nouns and verbs) was used with their Hausa equivalents to determine the extent of encroachment into Gbagyi vocabulary. Also, we elicited samples of everyday sentences from competent speakers of Gbagyi as well as the speech patterns of both Hausa and Gbagyi in order to ascertain the degree at which Hausa affects Gbagyi speech form. Findings from this study reveal that more than 40% of Gbagyi vocabulary is either of Hausa origin or borrowed from Hausa; that a relatively low percentage of Gbagyi speakers (about 30% or less) are still in full grasp of the language and perhaps 50% are of the older generation. Factors such as family and home, lack of Gbagyi literacy programs, inter-tribal marriages, lack of language loyalty (language attitude), and lack of inter-generational transmission among others are revealed as factors and actors responsible for the endangerment of Gbagyi or the decline in the use of Gbagyi. To this end, our focus has been to investigate into the sociolinguistic situation hence the study proffers explicit and dimensional solutions so as to prevent the language from extinction. This paper, among other things,recommends that language awareness by created at all levels of education on the importance of minority languages.
Open Access
Linguistic Variations within Otukpo and Agatu Dialects of Idoma
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2015-10-01) Abraham, David A.; Umaru, Jacob Yakubu; Muhammed, Bashir Yusuf
The paper investigates some linguistic variations within Otukpo and Agatu dialects of Idoma. Structured interview was used to elicit data for the work. Native speakers of both dialects were consulted and interviewed using 200 Swadish word-lists. Morphological, phonological, semantics and lexical variations in forms and meaning of words are identified within both dialects. The paper observed that, although the morphology, phonology,semantics and lexical variations exist within both dialects, there is still mutual intelligible among the speakers as indeed with the other dialects of Idoma.
Open Access
MADA TONE SYSTEM: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2020-06-17) Samuel, Nuhu Baba; Abraham, David A.; Makama, Asabe Ezekiel
This paper is a preliminary report on an ongoing research on Mada, a Platoid language spoken predominantly in Nasarawa State and few adjoining states; Kaduna and Plateau states, Nigeria. This paper discusses the phonological feature of tone and its relevance in the phonology of Mada. It examines the structure of tone bearing unit with a view to revealing the possible sequence of tone placement, types and patterns as well as the junctions of tone in Mada. The motivation for this study stems from the fact that tone is contrastive and plays a significant role in determining the pitch-related suprasegmental pattern in the language. The expectation of this paper, however, is to describe tone and tone groups in Mada, hence no appeal is made to a specific theoretical model as this attempt is only a descriptive study. Data for this study was sourced through monolingual, direct elicitation and participant observation methods. The findings show that Mada attests three level tones with the high tone unmarked and two-tone glides - high-low./A/ and low-high /V/ respectively. It further shows that tone in Mada is morphophonemic and highly productive such that pitch variation is capable of initiating contrast in the meaning of lexical items (morphotonemics). Syntactically, this study posits that, tonal contrast has a high functional load in the grammar of Mada. For instance, tone changes a simple declarative sentence to interrogative sentence type, makes a distinction between singular and plural, and changes infinitives to verbal nouns. Therefore, this paper, among other things, document end decipher Mada tone system. We recommend that minority languages be studied and documented to forestall language endangerment.
Open Access
Nominal and Synthetic Compounds in Bassa: Formation and Inflectional Processes
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2012-03-01) Abraham, David A.; Muhammed, Bashir Yusuf; Philip, Imoh Manda
The study focuses on a descriptive investigation of Bassa nominal and synthetic compounds, a Proto- Kru language sub-categorized under Western Kru family of Benu The study focuses on a descriptive investigation of Bassa nominal and synthetic compounds, a Proto- Kru language sub-categorized under Western Kru family of Benue Congo languages (Blench & Williamson, 1988; Williamson, 1982). The work studies both the pervasive nature of their derivational and inflectional processes in Bassa language. The instruments used for sourcing data for the investigation include, interview corroborated with the native intuitions of the researcher of the language under investigation. The study discovers that compounding is characterized by productive derivational processes. The rule of vowel elision obligatorily applies to the final vowel of the head noun (Ni) where the complement noun (N2) begins with an initial vowel sound. Second, where the compounds are inflected for number, the deverbalizing prefix, the head noun, (Ni), the agreement marker, and the complement (N2) undergo the appropriate inflectional process. Finally, compound formation is also characterized by agreement markers (that is between the head and its complement). The pertinent contribution this investigation does is the fact that some salient characteristics underlying compounding in the language has been discovered. The findings of the research can be used to stimulate further investigations on the compounding of other languages and comparing them with other languages Congo languages (Blench & Williamson, 1988; Williamson, 1982). The work studies both the pervasive nature of their derivational and inflectional processes in Bassa language. The instruments used for sourcing data for the investigation include, interview corroborated with the native intuitions of the researcher of the language under investigation. The study discovers that compounding is characterized by productive derivational processes. The rule of vowel elision obligatorily applies to the final vowel of the head noun (Ni) where the complement noun (N2) begins with an initial vowel sound. Second, where the compounds are inflected for number, the deverbalizing prefix, the head noun, (Ni), the agreement marker, and the complement (N2) undergo the appropriate inflectional process. Finally, compound formation is also characterized by agreement markers (that is between the head and its complement). The pertinent contribution this investigation does is the fact that some salient characteristics underlying compounding in the language has been discovered. The findings of the research can be used to stimulate further investigations on the compounding of other languages and comparing them with other languages.
Open Access
A Socio- Cultural and Linguistic Analysis of Gbagyi Names
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2015-10-01) Abraham, David A.; Amende, Charles A.; Muhammad, Bashir Yusuf
Names apart from serving as makers of individuals’ identities reveal the deep rooted socio semantic and cultural values, experience, prevailing situations and philosophies of a given society. The focus of this paper therefore, is on the structure and socio-semantic and cultural importance of Gbagyi names and their relevance to cultural promotion and identity of Gbagyi nation. It will also examine the various perspectives leading to the understanding of Gbagyi names and the meanings of Gbagyi names to their society. The method of data collection employed in collecting data for the work is that of interaction with the Gbagyi native speakers. Written materials on Gbagyi were also consulted to elicit Data. Direct observations among native speakers of the language also formed part of the method of data collection employed. The Data collected were analysed based on the structure and meaning of Gbagyi given names. The paper,though may not be as exhaustive provides an insight into the structure and semantics and values of Gbagyi personal names as reveals the implications and importance of names to the bearers in Gbagyi and to the general public at large.
Open Access
A SOCIO- CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF GBAGYI NAMES
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2015-10-26) Abraham, David A.; Amende, Charles A.
Names apart from serving as marks of individuals ’ identities reveal the deep rooted socio semantic and cultural values, experience, prevailing situations and philosophies of a given society. The focus of this paper therefore, is to examine Linguistics and socio-semantic and Linguistics implications of Gbagyi names and their relevance to cultural promotion and identity of Gbagyi nation. It will basically carry out a linguistics analysis of Gbagyi names looking at the semantic and structural implications of the names. The primary and secondary research methods were employed in carrying this work; while the primary source shall be based on the interaction and direct observations among native speakers of the language, the secondary source shall be based on written materials on Gbagyi language. The Data collected shall be analysed based on the structure and meaning of Gbagyi given names. The paper therefore, though may not be as exhaustive, is hoped to provide an insight into the structure and semantic values of Gbagyi personal names and will also make the reader to appreciate the implication and importance of names to the bearers in Gbagyi language.
Open Access
A SOCIO- CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF GBAGYI NAMES
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2015-10-01) Abraham, David A.
Names, apart from serving as marks of individuals’ identities, reveal the deep rooted socio-semantic and cultural values, experience, prevailing situations and philosophies of a given society. The focus of this paper therefore, is to examine socio-semantic implications of Gbagyi names and their relevance to cultural promotion and identity of Gbagyi nation. The primary source is based on the interaction and direct observations among native speakers of the language while the secondary source is based on written materials on Gbagyi language. The Data collected shall be analysed based on the structure and meaning of Gbagyi given names. The paper provides an insight into the structure and semantic values of Gbagyi personal and the implication and importance of names to the bearers in Gbagyi language.
Open Access
A SOCIO-LINGUISTIC STUDY OF LANGUAGE USE IN DIFFERENT CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2020-03-11) Abraham, David A.; David, Stephen O.
Language is one of the best gifts that man is ever endowed with. Human beings developed language in order to communicate with one another within a speech community. A speech community is made up of people who use a given language which need not have any social or cultural unity. It is based on this that the church qualifies as a speech community. This paper therefore, is an attempt to carry out a socio-linguistic survey of language use in different Christian denominations, in expressing their religious beliefs and faith. These denominations include: Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox. The paper carried out a survey of the expressions used by these different Christians denominations during their worship and its effects on them. The descriptive method of data analysis was used in the analysis of data gathered for this work. The paper carried out a socio-linguistic analysis of language use in different denominations under different headings. The speech patterns and language codes of the denominations were collected and analysed the under different headings. The findings from this research revealed that though Christians worship the same God, but the languages used by different denominations differ. The work also showed that the difference amongst the different denominations is just in the choice of words, semantic interpretation of the scriptures and not. philosophical one. This work should be of great relevance to researchers on language use.
Open Access
SOCIOLINGUISTICS SITUATION AND THE PLIGHT OF THE MINORITY IN NORTHERN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF GBAGYI
(Department of Languages and Linguistics, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, 2015-11-26) Amende, Charles A.; Abraham, David A.
Much has been documented in Sociolinguistics about the advantages of bilingualism but perhaps not much has been done to examine the negative effects it has on smaller languages. The focus of this paper is therefore on the sociolinguistic situations that involve the dominance of Hausa on other .......minority, languages.in the North especially the .Gbagyi language.In another development, It examines the level of interference of Hausa lexis and sentence patterns in Gbagyi as one of the minorities languages in northern Nigeria, using Blench’s 1017 wordlist. The paper also determines the extent of Hausa influence on the Gbagyi as well as found out the means of preserving it from total extinction. • The descriptive statistical method is employed in gathering data and the simple percentage tool is also used to discover the extent' of incursion of Hausa into Gbagyi language. This paper finally tries in proffering solutions on how the language can be revitalized and saved from going into extinction.