Complementizers in Kùcé: A minimalist theoretic analysis
Keywords:
Complementizer, Force, Focus, Feature, Finiteness, Kùcé, MovementAbstract
As attested in other languages, complementizers play a significant role in the syntax of Kùcé, a Niger-Congo language spoken in Bassa, Plateau State, north-central Nigeria. However, the discussion of complementizers in the language is under-reported in the literature. This paper therefore examines the complementizers of Kùcé with the aim of determining their classification and properties. Data were collected with the use of a researcher-designed wordlist, West African Linguistics Society (WALS) questionnaire and unstructured oral interview. The study identifies four main complementizers which include, àtá ‘that’, hā ‘whether’, t+subject pronoun root verb (sprV) ‘if’, and ísī ‘that’. The study found that àtá has a strong declarative force feature, while hā exhibits a strong interrogative force feature. t+sprV possesses a strong imperative force feature as well as an interrogative force feature. Whereas àtá and hā are typically force heads, the complementizers t+sprV and ísī are focus markers respectively, in that they trigger movement of focused constituents.
Abstract In Jos
Ìtī nì āyen ānò ba yardā, ínsāk ùtā nùnā ama áná áyī āgyigyó áyī Kùcé, kiyén iyī NigerCongo bā Bássá, Plateau State north-central Nigeria. Kodáshikè ìdaw áyá ínsak áyī Kùcé, ùshí bùmī kinfā àtákàrdá awai ùtā tò ínsák áyī Kùcé nī múlók īgí āsìfa āgi. Bà tā kādisì nī kāshi nī īndòl áyá mudádí. Bánít iyá West African Linguistics Society (WALS) ùcílí kayísī áyī kanú nī ùsùmā ìbìbān. Kùmùsā ùtā nunā ínsák ínás, àtá ‘ipí gyó’, hā ‘ho’, iti, ís ī kùmāsú úwui ígí ta àtá ùshi nā ányé nī ushī bī unkún, aní hā ushi nī kayísī nì ushi nù unkún. t+sprv ushi nú unkún nī kayísī nì unkun. àtá nī hā ushi nī ītú nù ushi nù unkun. ínsák t+sprv na ísī bā shin a ányé áyī unkun. itá zugā īcizì ayī ìbān.
References
Anyanwu, C.N. (2021). The X-bar syntax of phrasal categories in Kuce. In I.I. Akinremi, A.H.Amfani, P.V. Gomwalk& L.N. Danjuma (Eds.), Current issues in morphosyntax, semantics and pragmatics (pp. 29-40). Jos University Press.
Blench, R., & Adiwu, R., &Asukutu, G. (2006). The Ce (Rukuba) Languages of Central Nigeriaand its affinities. Cambridge University Press.
Blench, R. (2001). English syntax and argumentation. Palgrave Publishers.
Chomsky, N. (1993). A minimalist program for linguistic theory. In Hale, K. & S.J. Keyser(Eds.), The view from building. Essays in Honour of Sylvain Bromberger. (pp. 1-52) MIT Press.
Chomsky, N. (1995). Categories and transformations. The minimalist program. MIT Press.
Chomsky, N. (2001).Derivation by phase. In M. Kenstowicz (Ed.), A life in language. (pp. 1-52). Oxford University Press.
Ejiemenu, J. (2014). The morphosyntax of the noun class and concordial systems of the Kucelanguage.BA project,University of Jos, Jos.
Haegeman, L. (1991). Introduction to government and binding theory. Blackwell Publishers. Nweya, G. (2019). A feature based analysis of Igbo complementizers. Journal of the Linguistic Association of Nigeria,(2), 56-69.
Radford, A. (2004). English syntax: An introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Radford, A. (1988). Transformational grammar. Cambridge University Press.
Rizzi, L. (1997) The fine structure of the left periphery. In L. Haegeman, & K. Dordrecht (Eds.),Elements of grammar (pp. 281-337). MIT Press.
Wilson, J. (2002). From preposition to plural marker and more: Grammaticalization of Kuce: Sana. Studies in African Linguistics, (31), 155-175.
