Kaplan et al., (1989) have demonstrated that LFG-M-1 has difficulties with headswitching data (Sa... more Kaplan et al., (1989) have demonstrated that LFG-M-1 has difficulties with headswitching data (Sadler et al., 1989, 1990; Sadler and Thompson, 1991; Andy Way, 2001). First, this study re-examines their arguments using data from Eleme. Secondly, it attempts to solve these 'problematic constructions' employing methods predicated on 'linear logic' (Van Genabith et al., 1998) and 'restriction' (Kaplan and Wedekind 1993). Despite efforts at providing solutions to these problematic constructions, I identify new problems that are further created. I then show how LFG-DOT (Bod and Kaplan, 1998; Andy Way, 2001) can be extended to 'serve as a new hybrid model for MT, LFG-DOT (Way, 1999, 2001), which guarantees to advance 'upon the DOT model of translation ' (Poutsma 1998, 2000) and LFG-MT. LFG-DOT advances the sophistication of LFG-MT by using LFG-DOT Discard operator, which generates widespread .'fragments' through discarding some 'f-structure features'. LFG-DOT is therefore, capable of solving 'ill-formed' or erstwhile 'unseen input ' whereas LFG-MT is unable. Finally, I evince that LFG-DOT is capable of solving 'such translational phenomena like 'headswitching ' , 'embedded cases of headswitching' and 'scoping of multiple adverbs', which prove difficult for other LFG-based models of translation.
Learn English Son is designed to be comprehensive without being cumbersome. It seeks, in all area... more Learn English Son is designed to be comprehensive without being cumbersome. It seeks, in all areas, to be exact, clear and succinct. It is a practical grammar book covering all the rules of English grammar and writing styles - punctuation, sentence structure, correct word usage and a guide to adapting your writing style to different formats and assignments for classroom and business use. It is conceived as a reference material for the Use of English in Rivers State University of Science and Technology, and for English Language and Linguistics students of other Universities.
Learn English Son proceeds systematically from fundamentals of study skills and methods to analysis of English words and sentences. It attempts to give the potential writer an expert command of the fundamentals of good writing and the basic skills required for effective writing. It further attempts to examine the principles that underlie good written English and to suggest the best methods by which students may write good English. It provides advice and instruction on verbal logic, clarity of expression, emphasis, consistency of style, and how to structure paragraphs and essays. It concludes with recommendation on handling the larger elements such as the paragraph and the whole of the composition.
The Modern Languages Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) styles of documenting research papers have been added, along with instructions on using the Library and Internet for research.
Learn English Son may be studied as a course, proceeding from the simple to the more complex. Students may practice each principle in turn and be assured of their progress by using the exercises. The book has many idiosyncrasies due to the author being a non-native speaker, having taught English and Linguistics in Nigeria, Britain, and the United States. I have kept in mind the persistent need of writers for compact, ready reference work.
Consequently, the diversified contents are clearly demarked and are readily identifiable to facilitate the finding of specific principles or answers to particular problems of composition.
This book investigates the phonology of Eleme. It is divided into nine chapters.
Chapter I gives ... more This book investigates the phonology of Eleme. It is divided into nine chapters. Chapter I gives information about where the Eleme people live, their origin, beliefs, socio-cultural background, occupations and the linguistic classification of the language. It also presents an overview of the literature on and in the language and the model used for this description. It reassesses the internal classification of the Ogonoid group and suggests that Yeghe be considered a distinct language not a dialect of Kana or Gokana. Secondly, Gokana has Bodo, Bomu, Dere and Kibangha as dialects contrary to Vobnu (1991: 34) who identified southern, western and central. In the same vein, Kaani is also a dialect of Kana contrary to Kobo ( 1991: 42) who recognises only Babbe, Bo 'ue, Ken-Kana, Nor-Kana, Tee and 'Yeghe' dialects for Kana.
Chapter 2 argues that,' unlike many Cross-River languages, Eleme vowels contrast [-nasal] and [+nasal]. In other words, Eleme has significant contrastive nasalization. Nwolu-Obele ( 1998: 139) claims that [a] is a front vowel in Eleme. This study through phonetic experimentation has shown that [a] is a central not a front vowel in Eleme. Contrary to the assertion that, there is no vowel harmony in Ogonoid (cf Faraclas 1989: 388 and Ikoro 1996: 25), this study demonstrates that, vowel harmony is an active synchronic process in Eleme.
Chapter 3 identifies and describes four very unusual phones in Eleme [ S w ] • [ t S w ] , [ d3 w ] and [ pj] . It uses combined phonetic evidence and phonological argumentation to resolve that [ tl ] , [ cfa], [ kp], [ gb], [kw] and [ gw] are single segments not sequences.
Chapter 4 notes a significant distinction in the syllable structure of the western Ogonoid (Ban and Eleme) and the eastern Ogonoid (Gokana, Kana, Tai and Yeghe) languages. The western branch has only open syllables, whereas the eastern branch has close syllabics. The syllable types in Eleme are V, N, CV, CVV and CVCV. These contrast with the archetypal syllable types for Cross-River languages, which are CVC, CGV, CVN, CVVC and CVV.
Chapter 5 discusses nasality, nasal harmony and nasal spread. The directions, constraints and conditions of application are also discussed. It demonstrates that, unlike most Cross River languages, Eleme is characterised by the presence of syllabic nasals.
Chapter 6 analyses the phonological processes, which affect various vowels and consonants. It argues that these processes are very systematic rather than 'indiscriminate' (Bond 2002: 24). It argues further that the phonological processes affecting vowels highlight the functional unity of phonological rules that are driven by the enforcement of the Eleme syllable template.
Chapter 7 argues that, in the Eleme verbal system, the tone pattern of verbs roots does not follow from the usual dichotomy of infinitive versus imperative, as many Benue-Congo tone languages do (cf Cook 1985, Zee and Inkelas 1990 and lkoro 1996), but rather on a trichotomy of infinitive, imperative and indicative moods.
Chapter 8 discusses language endangerment and the need for detailed documentation and revitalisation of Eleme.
There is a relationship between vocabulary size and the overall linguistic ability of the learner... more There is a relationship between vocabulary size and the overall linguistic ability of the learner. Nation and Meara (2002: 50) acknowledge this when they said: 'In English, there is a relatively close relationship between how many words you know, as measured on, the standard vocabulary tests, and how well you perform on reading tests, listening tests and other formal tests of your English ability'. It is therefore crucial that vocabulary study be included in this volume to enhance learners' competence and performance in the other language skills. The organization of this unit is simple. Section 1 answers a number of pertinent questions such as what is a word? What vocabulary should be learned. How should vocabulary be learned? Section 2 deals with developing fluency with vocabulary across the four skills. It also elucidates strategy for vocabulary development, lexical bar, while section 3 focuses on vocabulary size and language proficiency. I now take up the issue of word definition.
As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our use of English. one area of ... more As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our use of English. one area of emphasis is in the teaching of reading comprehension skills. What goes on in the classroom today in the name of teaching reading comprehension is dismal. It is obvious that the teaching of reading comprehension in the school system evinces that English teachers provide content but not 'how to acquire skills in handling' aspects of the reading material. The current administration is stepping in through providing workshops of this nature for teachers that will bridge this gap. Besides, teachers are ready to embrace new ideas and teaching methods; and using them to improve their students. In this connection, all hope is not lost for our educational system.
No one knows for certain the precise origin of poetry. What we do know, however, is the fact that... more No one knows for certain the precise origin of poetry. What we do know, however, is the fact that, it is the most ancient of arts. It had existed since human beings created language. Primitive cultures without written languages integrated rhythmic patterns of words into their ritual ceremonies. These were in the form of chants accompanied by music · of a simple beat and the dance of a measured step. The urge to create and appreciate poetry is as basic to human experience as language itself (Meyer 769). My father once told me that Eleme poetry echoed the concerns of the poets and that of the listeners. It chronicles acts of bravery, fearsome foes, .natural disasters, mysterious events, births, deaths, things that brought pains or pleasure, bewilderment or revelations. As time progressed poetry became an integral part of religion. This informs Meyer's claim that from its very beginnings, poetry has been associated with what has mattered most to people. Its concern - whether natural or supernatural - can, of course, be expressed without vivid images, rhythmic patterns, and pleasing sounds, but human beings have always sensed a magic in words that goes beyond rational, logical understanding (769).
This paper re-examines reduplication as alliteration and
rhyme with data from Eleme. Eleme belong... more This paper re-examines reduplication as alliteration and rhyme with data from Eleme. Eleme belongs to the Ogonoid group spoken to the east of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State in Southeastern Nigeria. The language is classified as: Niger-Congo; Benue-Congo; Cross River; Delta Cross; Ogonoid; Eleme. The intent of this study is to refute some of Yip's claims because my data compel such. The theoretical framework adopted for this study is optimality. The paper reviews pertinent literature focusing on Yip (1999). My position is modest: 'humans have both an aptitude and a taste for creating repetitive-sequences, and they may use this skill in a variety of ways that are more or less part of the core grammar of the language'. Of course, au fond grammatical knowledge is involved in all linguistic repetition, as can be seen by the implicit knowledge of syllable structure these phenomena evince. The mechanisms are the same, no matter what the function of the repetition. More specifically, I have claimed that the mechanisms distinguish rhyme and alliteration, and it is this that allows for repetition of either the whole or the part. These mechanisms have their grammatical incarnation as universal optimality theory constraints, motivated here through reduplicative data, but presumably also involved in poetry if one accepts Holtman's central claim that poetic rhyme is controlled by an OT grammar.
Eleme has two mega administrative blocks, Nchia and Odido, each with its own dialect. The Nchia d... more Eleme has two mega administrative blocks, Nchia and Odido, each with its own dialect. The Nchia dialect is spoken in six clans Agbonchia, Aleto, Alesa, Alode, Ogale and Akpajo. The Odido dialect is spoken in four clans Ebubu, Onne, Eteo and Ekporo. Each clan has a number of villages. Nchia and Odido speakers can easily understand one another, with most differences restricted to the lexicon. Nchia is the socially dominant dialect and is the variety described in all previous studies. For the purposes of this orthography, speakers of both dialects were consulted. The differences between the two varieties are not thought to be significant enough to undermine the present work. Linguistically, the Eleme-speaking area is surrounded by both closely related languages and more distantly related languages that belong to a large number of language families. These include Ijoid languages to the west, Igboid languages to the north, and Cross River languages to the south and east.
All colonial and administrative records refer to the Egene language and area as Engenni. The peop... more All colonial and administrative records refer to the Egene language and area as Engenni. The people on the 20th November 2009 decided to return to the name Egene, which is the original name of the language and area before the advent of the colonialist. The origin of the name Egene is not particularly known to the speakers themselves but a lot of speculations exist as to the source of the name Egene. One such speculation is that the name is derived from the Mythical progenitor of the Egene people called Ogene. The second speculation is that the name Egene is derived from the verb geni 'look'. This source has it that the frequent use of the verb by Egene speakers caused some strangers to call the people Egene.
Ogba/Egberna/Ndoni Local Government Area is a substantive administrative unit in the present day ... more Ogba/Egberna/Ndoni Local Government Area is a substantive administrative unit in the present day Rivers State, which is a larger administrative unit in the Nigerian federation. Egbema people are found in Ozubulu in Anambra State, in Abua/Odual in Rivers State, in Koko area of Delta State and in Uli in lmo State. The fragmentation or balkanization of Egbema people and language between two disparate states in Nigeria has not gone down well with the speakers of the language. One-half of the speakers are located in Rivers State while the remaining one-half are found in Imo State. The population of the speakers of Egbema is 167 ,438 (Est. 2008).
As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our spoken English, one area of ... more As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our spoken English, one area of emphasis is in the teaching and learning the pronunciation of English sound segments. What goes on in the classroom today in the name of teaching phonetics and phonology is dismal. The teacher can hardly, properly and distinctly, articulate and transcribe the sounds of English, let alone the students. For some of these teachers the charts, production, approach and emphasis on the English segments are all wrong. This paper seeks to correct the charts, the approach, and emphasis and suggest how best the teacher should go about the teaching of the sounds of English. The paper, therefore, addresses the English language teacher, although English language, Linguistics and- Communication students will equally benefit from it. The plan and organisation of this paper is simple. First, it tackles decisions about priorities in pronunciation and answers three basic questions: What type of pronunciation is to be taken as a model? How does the model of pronunciation used as a target differ from what obtains in the country presently? What teaching methods should be used in the teaching of the various sounds of English? Second, it examines 'priorities and tolerances' in teaching Nigerian English Ascent (NEA) segments and the accompanying prosodic features. Third, it focuses on 'teaching methods' drawing on the works of Kenworthy (1987, 2000) and Brown (1991). Fourth, it x-rays pronouncing dictionaries. Finally, it considers the problem of the assessment of a learner's performance, from the point of view of both reception and production. Hopefully its findings and recommendations will go along way to help the Nigerian classroom situation.
This paper discussed syllabification in Eleme. It accounted for the distribution of glides and ph... more This paper discussed syllabification in Eleme. It accounted for the distribution of glides and phonotactic constraints on intrasyllabic segmental sequences via sonority hierarchy. Two types of extraprosodicity in Eleme word-final i/s and word-initial were also discussed. The paper also presented the analysis of foot construction and tone marking, adopting the framework of Halle and vergnand (1987). It argued for a minimal word constraint in Eleme, which states that the smallest allowable phonological word in Eleme is a maximal (i.e binary) foot. This constraint is crucial to understanding why vowel-initial words with only a single well-formed syllable violate the tone rule and why sequences of equally sonorant vowels are allowed only in bivocalic words. Finally, the paper summarized the resultsof this study and their significance for linguistic theory and Ogonoid studies. The twofold objective of this paper is therefore to describe tone and syllabification in Eleme and their interaction with prosodic minimality, underscoring the implications of these phenomena for multilinear theories of phonology.
This paper examines the spatial orientation in Here and This is a photograph of me. These poems a... more This paper examines the spatial orientation in Here and This is a photograph of me. These poems are set in the sixties (c. 7960) in England. This paper argues that without proper understanding of the elasticity of space as indicated by the spatial deictic in these poems the semantic imports of the poems will be lost on the reader. just as the poets are disparate, so the poems differ in terms of structure and plot; in their presentation of theme and setting; choice of subject matter; in the atmosphere they evoke; the images that their dictions appeal to; and in the processes employed in the presentation of the poets ' personas. The poems also vary in terms of their strengths, in terms of phrasing, vividness, clarity, complexity, generality, rhythmicality, subtlety and forcefulness of tone. But both poems con verge on the use of elasticity of space, spatial deictic and language-stretching structures. This paper examines also the recurrent linguistic patterns, lexical cluster, modality, syntax, monologic and polyphonic points of view, contextual use of language, idiolect, paralinguistic rhetorical devices such as figures of imagery and speech, language stretching structures and internal contrasts in contents of the poem. Finally, the paper evinces how all these highlight the poems' effects.
Sequel to the one-day special workshop on the development of Rivers State indigenous language ort... more Sequel to the one-day special workshop on the development of Rivers State indigenous language orthographies and writing of books sponsored by the Rivers State Government and organised by the Rivers State Readers Project in association with the. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) held on 17th September 2009 at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt; The consensus amongst the workshop participants is that efforts should be made to secure the approval of fourteen (14) more orthography of Rivers languages. The Okrika language was one of the languages to benefit from this 'new initiative'. Dr Isaac Eyi Ngulube, Mr Geoffrey A. Somiari, Mrs Esther B. Tobin, Mrs Elizabeth Agaga and Hon. Tekena Jamabo were assigned the responsibility of producing the draft copy of the Okrika orthography to be considered and adopted at a joint meeting between the Wakirike be se Language Committee and the Rivers State Readers Project.
Ogba is both name for the people and the language. The original name of the people is Oku Ogba, b... more Ogba is both name for the people and the language. The original name of the people is Oku Ogba, but shortened to Okogba, especially by the Ekpeye people, while the Ikwere and Ohaji neighbours call them Akwugba. The Ogba speakers themselves prefer to be called Ali Ogba or simply as Ogba. There are four main clans that make up Ogbaland. They are Egni, Igburu, Usomini and Omoku. But there are three major dialects of Ogba, they are Egni, lgburu and Usomini, these dialects are mutually intelligible, and whatever differences exist are restricted to the area of phonemic variation and a few lexical variants. A number of tonal alternations exist in sentences between these dialects, but these are less conspicuous. Igburu is the socially dominant dialect. In other words, it is the reference dialect or literary dialect of the area. A survey conducted by Amadi Ahiamadu (1990) attests to this.
The Ogbaru people who speak the Ndoni language and live in the Ndoni district are situated in the... more The Ogbaru people who speak the Ndoni language and live in the Ndoni district are situated in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, which is a substantive administrative unit in the current Rivers State, in the Nigeria federation. Ogbaru people of Ndoni have no affinity with the people in Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State.
This paper examines phonologically motivated gaps in the phonology of Eleme. The author follows R... more This paper examines phonologically motivated gaps in the phonology of Eleme. The author follows Rice (2005), which 'uses an approach to modeling gaps based on a tension between markedness constraints, faithfulness constraints and constraints which require the expression of' morphological categories'. The author explores specifically vowel harmony in Eleme, arguing that the language has gaps in its phonological systems. The approach predicts that the same phonotactics problem may be solved by a repair in one phonological context and by a gap in another. This prediction is illustrated and further implications are explored.
As a linguistic theory LFG has been extensively used in the analysis of a great.number of the wor... more As a linguistic theory LFG has been extensively used in the analysis of a great.number of the world's languages. The current approach in LFG research field is applying it to language computation, extending from parsing to machine translation. But, there is dearth of the LFG based work in Eleme computing. The present . LFG framework evinces two aspects when applied to computing tasks: it is quite powerful for linguistics representation, but some-what weak for Eleme computing there is an indication from Eleme for improving the formalism of LFG. This. study will examine these two issues, suggesting some possible augmentation on LFG paradigm, though the idea is still preliminary. I accept the fact that linguistic resources, such as annotated corpora, mostly semantics-oriented, are also needed to trigger manipulations on the augmented paradigm possible. The complete solution is predicated on not only academic research but also engineering realization it will not work without either.
This paper presents A - LFG, a type of CG that is similar to LFG. Like other types of CG, A - gra... more This paper presents A - LFG, a type of CG that is similar to LFG. Like other types of CG, A - grammars are multi-faceted and their constituents are combined in a 'strictly parallel' manner. Syntactic representations are combined using linear combinators, in a strict pure A - terms where each abstractor dominates only one variable. ln mathematical terms, this is equal to using linear logic, also use in LFG for semantic composition, but the approach here is practical. Although A - grammar is useful in formalizing a number of approaches to syntactic theory, they are normally used for the formalization of LFG. Therefore, this paper develops a theory termed A - LFG. In this paper, I demonstrated how the standard components of LFG are set up using this model. I also provided descriptions of c-structure, f-structure, and semantics. The difference between elucidating and constraining data were made clear in terms of entailment, and requirements on long-distance paths in f-structure using simple set of principles.
This paper focuses on the Ibani people, namely: Bonny and Opobo kingdoms. Both kingdoms were orig... more This paper focuses on the Ibani people, namely: Bonny and Opobo kingdoms. Both kingdoms were originally of one stock until the secession of Opobo in 1870 led by King Jaja. Bonny is the traditional and administrative headquarters of Bonny Local Government Area and the giant nation, Opobo is the capital of the Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State. Both
Bonny and Opobo are located within the southern coastal plain of the Niger Delta. It is a seaport with humid surroundings, a lot of creeks and rivers and it occupies a strategic location at the estuary close to the Atlantic Ocean - a vantage position and hub for water-borne overseas trading.
Kaplan et al., (1989) have demonstrated that LFG-M-1 has difficulties with headswitching data (Sa... more Kaplan et al., (1989) have demonstrated that LFG-M-1 has difficulties with headswitching data (Sadler et al., 1989, 1990; Sadler and Thompson, 1991; Andy Way, 2001). First, this study re-examines their arguments using data from Eleme. Secondly, it attempts to solve these 'problematic constructions' employing methods predicated on 'linear logic' (Van Genabith et al., 1998) and 'restriction' (Kaplan and Wedekind 1993). Despite efforts at providing solutions to these problematic constructions, I identify new problems that are further created. I then show how LFG-DOT (Bod and Kaplan, 1998; Andy Way, 2001) can be extended to 'serve as a new hybrid model for MT, LFG-DOT (Way, 1999, 2001), which guarantees to advance 'upon the DOT model of translation ' (Poutsma 1998, 2000) and LFG-MT. LFG-DOT advances the sophistication of LFG-MT by using LFG-DOT Discard operator, which generates widespread .'fragments' through discarding some 'f-structure features'. LFG-DOT is therefore, capable of solving 'ill-formed' or erstwhile 'unseen input ' whereas LFG-MT is unable. Finally, I evince that LFG-DOT is capable of solving 'such translational phenomena like 'headswitching ' , 'embedded cases of headswitching' and 'scoping of multiple adverbs', which prove difficult for other LFG-based models of translation.
Learn English Son is designed to be comprehensive without being cumbersome. It seeks, in all area... more Learn English Son is designed to be comprehensive without being cumbersome. It seeks, in all areas, to be exact, clear and succinct. It is a practical grammar book covering all the rules of English grammar and writing styles - punctuation, sentence structure, correct word usage and a guide to adapting your writing style to different formats and assignments for classroom and business use. It is conceived as a reference material for the Use of English in Rivers State University of Science and Technology, and for English Language and Linguistics students of other Universities.
Learn English Son proceeds systematically from fundamentals of study skills and methods to analysis of English words and sentences. It attempts to give the potential writer an expert command of the fundamentals of good writing and the basic skills required for effective writing. It further attempts to examine the principles that underlie good written English and to suggest the best methods by which students may write good English. It provides advice and instruction on verbal logic, clarity of expression, emphasis, consistency of style, and how to structure paragraphs and essays. It concludes with recommendation on handling the larger elements such as the paragraph and the whole of the composition.
The Modern Languages Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) styles of documenting research papers have been added, along with instructions on using the Library and Internet for research.
Learn English Son may be studied as a course, proceeding from the simple to the more complex. Students may practice each principle in turn and be assured of their progress by using the exercises. The book has many idiosyncrasies due to the author being a non-native speaker, having taught English and Linguistics in Nigeria, Britain, and the United States. I have kept in mind the persistent need of writers for compact, ready reference work.
Consequently, the diversified contents are clearly demarked and are readily identifiable to facilitate the finding of specific principles or answers to particular problems of composition.
This book investigates the phonology of Eleme. It is divided into nine chapters.
Chapter I gives ... more This book investigates the phonology of Eleme. It is divided into nine chapters. Chapter I gives information about where the Eleme people live, their origin, beliefs, socio-cultural background, occupations and the linguistic classification of the language. It also presents an overview of the literature on and in the language and the model used for this description. It reassesses the internal classification of the Ogonoid group and suggests that Yeghe be considered a distinct language not a dialect of Kana or Gokana. Secondly, Gokana has Bodo, Bomu, Dere and Kibangha as dialects contrary to Vobnu (1991: 34) who identified southern, western and central. In the same vein, Kaani is also a dialect of Kana contrary to Kobo ( 1991: 42) who recognises only Babbe, Bo 'ue, Ken-Kana, Nor-Kana, Tee and 'Yeghe' dialects for Kana.
Chapter 2 argues that,' unlike many Cross-River languages, Eleme vowels contrast [-nasal] and [+nasal]. In other words, Eleme has significant contrastive nasalization. Nwolu-Obele ( 1998: 139) claims that [a] is a front vowel in Eleme. This study through phonetic experimentation has shown that [a] is a central not a front vowel in Eleme. Contrary to the assertion that, there is no vowel harmony in Ogonoid (cf Faraclas 1989: 388 and Ikoro 1996: 25), this study demonstrates that, vowel harmony is an active synchronic process in Eleme.
Chapter 3 identifies and describes four very unusual phones in Eleme [ S w ] • [ t S w ] , [ d3 w ] and [ pj] . It uses combined phonetic evidence and phonological argumentation to resolve that [ tl ] , [ cfa], [ kp], [ gb], [kw] and [ gw] are single segments not sequences.
Chapter 4 notes a significant distinction in the syllable structure of the western Ogonoid (Ban and Eleme) and the eastern Ogonoid (Gokana, Kana, Tai and Yeghe) languages. The western branch has only open syllables, whereas the eastern branch has close syllabics. The syllable types in Eleme are V, N, CV, CVV and CVCV. These contrast with the archetypal syllable types for Cross-River languages, which are CVC, CGV, CVN, CVVC and CVV.
Chapter 5 discusses nasality, nasal harmony and nasal spread. The directions, constraints and conditions of application are also discussed. It demonstrates that, unlike most Cross River languages, Eleme is characterised by the presence of syllabic nasals.
Chapter 6 analyses the phonological processes, which affect various vowels and consonants. It argues that these processes are very systematic rather than 'indiscriminate' (Bond 2002: 24). It argues further that the phonological processes affecting vowels highlight the functional unity of phonological rules that are driven by the enforcement of the Eleme syllable template.
Chapter 7 argues that, in the Eleme verbal system, the tone pattern of verbs roots does not follow from the usual dichotomy of infinitive versus imperative, as many Benue-Congo tone languages do (cf Cook 1985, Zee and Inkelas 1990 and lkoro 1996), but rather on a trichotomy of infinitive, imperative and indicative moods.
Chapter 8 discusses language endangerment and the need for detailed documentation and revitalisation of Eleme.
There is a relationship between vocabulary size and the overall linguistic ability of the learner... more There is a relationship between vocabulary size and the overall linguistic ability of the learner. Nation and Meara (2002: 50) acknowledge this when they said: 'In English, there is a relatively close relationship between how many words you know, as measured on, the standard vocabulary tests, and how well you perform on reading tests, listening tests and other formal tests of your English ability'. It is therefore crucial that vocabulary study be included in this volume to enhance learners' competence and performance in the other language skills. The organization of this unit is simple. Section 1 answers a number of pertinent questions such as what is a word? What vocabulary should be learned. How should vocabulary be learned? Section 2 deals with developing fluency with vocabulary across the four skills. It also elucidates strategy for vocabulary development, lexical bar, while section 3 focuses on vocabulary size and language proficiency. I now take up the issue of word definition.
As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our use of English. one area of ... more As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our use of English. one area of emphasis is in the teaching of reading comprehension skills. What goes on in the classroom today in the name of teaching reading comprehension is dismal. It is obvious that the teaching of reading comprehension in the school system evinces that English teachers provide content but not 'how to acquire skills in handling' aspects of the reading material. The current administration is stepping in through providing workshops of this nature for teachers that will bridge this gap. Besides, teachers are ready to embrace new ideas and teaching methods; and using them to improve their students. In this connection, all hope is not lost for our educational system.
No one knows for certain the precise origin of poetry. What we do know, however, is the fact that... more No one knows for certain the precise origin of poetry. What we do know, however, is the fact that, it is the most ancient of arts. It had existed since human beings created language. Primitive cultures without written languages integrated rhythmic patterns of words into their ritual ceremonies. These were in the form of chants accompanied by music · of a simple beat and the dance of a measured step. The urge to create and appreciate poetry is as basic to human experience as language itself (Meyer 769). My father once told me that Eleme poetry echoed the concerns of the poets and that of the listeners. It chronicles acts of bravery, fearsome foes, .natural disasters, mysterious events, births, deaths, things that brought pains or pleasure, bewilderment or revelations. As time progressed poetry became an integral part of religion. This informs Meyer's claim that from its very beginnings, poetry has been associated with what has mattered most to people. Its concern - whether natural or supernatural - can, of course, be expressed without vivid images, rhythmic patterns, and pleasing sounds, but human beings have always sensed a magic in words that goes beyond rational, logical understanding (769).
This paper re-examines reduplication as alliteration and
rhyme with data from Eleme. Eleme belong... more This paper re-examines reduplication as alliteration and rhyme with data from Eleme. Eleme belongs to the Ogonoid group spoken to the east of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State in Southeastern Nigeria. The language is classified as: Niger-Congo; Benue-Congo; Cross River; Delta Cross; Ogonoid; Eleme. The intent of this study is to refute some of Yip's claims because my data compel such. The theoretical framework adopted for this study is optimality. The paper reviews pertinent literature focusing on Yip (1999). My position is modest: 'humans have both an aptitude and a taste for creating repetitive-sequences, and they may use this skill in a variety of ways that are more or less part of the core grammar of the language'. Of course, au fond grammatical knowledge is involved in all linguistic repetition, as can be seen by the implicit knowledge of syllable structure these phenomena evince. The mechanisms are the same, no matter what the function of the repetition. More specifically, I have claimed that the mechanisms distinguish rhyme and alliteration, and it is this that allows for repetition of either the whole or the part. These mechanisms have their grammatical incarnation as universal optimality theory constraints, motivated here through reduplicative data, but presumably also involved in poetry if one accepts Holtman's central claim that poetic rhyme is controlled by an OT grammar.
Eleme has two mega administrative blocks, Nchia and Odido, each with its own dialect. The Nchia d... more Eleme has two mega administrative blocks, Nchia and Odido, each with its own dialect. The Nchia dialect is spoken in six clans Agbonchia, Aleto, Alesa, Alode, Ogale and Akpajo. The Odido dialect is spoken in four clans Ebubu, Onne, Eteo and Ekporo. Each clan has a number of villages. Nchia and Odido speakers can easily understand one another, with most differences restricted to the lexicon. Nchia is the socially dominant dialect and is the variety described in all previous studies. For the purposes of this orthography, speakers of both dialects were consulted. The differences between the two varieties are not thought to be significant enough to undermine the present work. Linguistically, the Eleme-speaking area is surrounded by both closely related languages and more distantly related languages that belong to a large number of language families. These include Ijoid languages to the west, Igboid languages to the north, and Cross River languages to the south and east.
All colonial and administrative records refer to the Egene language and area as Engenni. The peop... more All colonial and administrative records refer to the Egene language and area as Engenni. The people on the 20th November 2009 decided to return to the name Egene, which is the original name of the language and area before the advent of the colonialist. The origin of the name Egene is not particularly known to the speakers themselves but a lot of speculations exist as to the source of the name Egene. One such speculation is that the name is derived from the Mythical progenitor of the Egene people called Ogene. The second speculation is that the name Egene is derived from the verb geni 'look'. This source has it that the frequent use of the verb by Egene speakers caused some strangers to call the people Egene.
Ogba/Egberna/Ndoni Local Government Area is a substantive administrative unit in the present day ... more Ogba/Egberna/Ndoni Local Government Area is a substantive administrative unit in the present day Rivers State, which is a larger administrative unit in the Nigerian federation. Egbema people are found in Ozubulu in Anambra State, in Abua/Odual in Rivers State, in Koko area of Delta State and in Uli in lmo State. The fragmentation or balkanization of Egbema people and language between two disparate states in Nigeria has not gone down well with the speakers of the language. One-half of the speakers are located in Rivers State while the remaining one-half are found in Imo State. The population of the speakers of Egbema is 167 ,438 (Est. 2008).
As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our spoken English, one area of ... more As we, in Nigeria, struggle for international intelligibility in our spoken English, one area of emphasis is in the teaching and learning the pronunciation of English sound segments. What goes on in the classroom today in the name of teaching phonetics and phonology is dismal. The teacher can hardly, properly and distinctly, articulate and transcribe the sounds of English, let alone the students. For some of these teachers the charts, production, approach and emphasis on the English segments are all wrong. This paper seeks to correct the charts, the approach, and emphasis and suggest how best the teacher should go about the teaching of the sounds of English. The paper, therefore, addresses the English language teacher, although English language, Linguistics and- Communication students will equally benefit from it. The plan and organisation of this paper is simple. First, it tackles decisions about priorities in pronunciation and answers three basic questions: What type of pronunciation is to be taken as a model? How does the model of pronunciation used as a target differ from what obtains in the country presently? What teaching methods should be used in the teaching of the various sounds of English? Second, it examines 'priorities and tolerances' in teaching Nigerian English Ascent (NEA) segments and the accompanying prosodic features. Third, it focuses on 'teaching methods' drawing on the works of Kenworthy (1987, 2000) and Brown (1991). Fourth, it x-rays pronouncing dictionaries. Finally, it considers the problem of the assessment of a learner's performance, from the point of view of both reception and production. Hopefully its findings and recommendations will go along way to help the Nigerian classroom situation.
This paper discussed syllabification in Eleme. It accounted for the distribution of glides and ph... more This paper discussed syllabification in Eleme. It accounted for the distribution of glides and phonotactic constraints on intrasyllabic segmental sequences via sonority hierarchy. Two types of extraprosodicity in Eleme word-final i/s and word-initial were also discussed. The paper also presented the analysis of foot construction and tone marking, adopting the framework of Halle and vergnand (1987). It argued for a minimal word constraint in Eleme, which states that the smallest allowable phonological word in Eleme is a maximal (i.e binary) foot. This constraint is crucial to understanding why vowel-initial words with only a single well-formed syllable violate the tone rule and why sequences of equally sonorant vowels are allowed only in bivocalic words. Finally, the paper summarized the resultsof this study and their significance for linguistic theory and Ogonoid studies. The twofold objective of this paper is therefore to describe tone and syllabification in Eleme and their interaction with prosodic minimality, underscoring the implications of these phenomena for multilinear theories of phonology.
This paper examines the spatial orientation in Here and This is a photograph of me. These poems a... more This paper examines the spatial orientation in Here and This is a photograph of me. These poems are set in the sixties (c. 7960) in England. This paper argues that without proper understanding of the elasticity of space as indicated by the spatial deictic in these poems the semantic imports of the poems will be lost on the reader. just as the poets are disparate, so the poems differ in terms of structure and plot; in their presentation of theme and setting; choice of subject matter; in the atmosphere they evoke; the images that their dictions appeal to; and in the processes employed in the presentation of the poets ' personas. The poems also vary in terms of their strengths, in terms of phrasing, vividness, clarity, complexity, generality, rhythmicality, subtlety and forcefulness of tone. But both poems con verge on the use of elasticity of space, spatial deictic and language-stretching structures. This paper examines also the recurrent linguistic patterns, lexical cluster, modality, syntax, monologic and polyphonic points of view, contextual use of language, idiolect, paralinguistic rhetorical devices such as figures of imagery and speech, language stretching structures and internal contrasts in contents of the poem. Finally, the paper evinces how all these highlight the poems' effects.
Sequel to the one-day special workshop on the development of Rivers State indigenous language ort... more Sequel to the one-day special workshop on the development of Rivers State indigenous language orthographies and writing of books sponsored by the Rivers State Government and organised by the Rivers State Readers Project in association with the. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) held on 17th September 2009 at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt; The consensus amongst the workshop participants is that efforts should be made to secure the approval of fourteen (14) more orthography of Rivers languages. The Okrika language was one of the languages to benefit from this 'new initiative'. Dr Isaac Eyi Ngulube, Mr Geoffrey A. Somiari, Mrs Esther B. Tobin, Mrs Elizabeth Agaga and Hon. Tekena Jamabo were assigned the responsibility of producing the draft copy of the Okrika orthography to be considered and adopted at a joint meeting between the Wakirike be se Language Committee and the Rivers State Readers Project.
Ogba is both name for the people and the language. The original name of the people is Oku Ogba, b... more Ogba is both name for the people and the language. The original name of the people is Oku Ogba, but shortened to Okogba, especially by the Ekpeye people, while the Ikwere and Ohaji neighbours call them Akwugba. The Ogba speakers themselves prefer to be called Ali Ogba or simply as Ogba. There are four main clans that make up Ogbaland. They are Egni, Igburu, Usomini and Omoku. But there are three major dialects of Ogba, they are Egni, lgburu and Usomini, these dialects are mutually intelligible, and whatever differences exist are restricted to the area of phonemic variation and a few lexical variants. A number of tonal alternations exist in sentences between these dialects, but these are less conspicuous. Igburu is the socially dominant dialect. In other words, it is the reference dialect or literary dialect of the area. A survey conducted by Amadi Ahiamadu (1990) attests to this.
The Ogbaru people who speak the Ndoni language and live in the Ndoni district are situated in the... more The Ogbaru people who speak the Ndoni language and live in the Ndoni district are situated in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, which is a substantive administrative unit in the current Rivers State, in the Nigeria federation. Ogbaru people of Ndoni have no affinity with the people in Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State.
This paper examines phonologically motivated gaps in the phonology of Eleme. The author follows R... more This paper examines phonologically motivated gaps in the phonology of Eleme. The author follows Rice (2005), which 'uses an approach to modeling gaps based on a tension between markedness constraints, faithfulness constraints and constraints which require the expression of' morphological categories'. The author explores specifically vowel harmony in Eleme, arguing that the language has gaps in its phonological systems. The approach predicts that the same phonotactics problem may be solved by a repair in one phonological context and by a gap in another. This prediction is illustrated and further implications are explored.
As a linguistic theory LFG has been extensively used in the analysis of a great.number of the wor... more As a linguistic theory LFG has been extensively used in the analysis of a great.number of the world's languages. The current approach in LFG research field is applying it to language computation, extending from parsing to machine translation. But, there is dearth of the LFG based work in Eleme computing. The present . LFG framework evinces two aspects when applied to computing tasks: it is quite powerful for linguistics representation, but some-what weak for Eleme computing there is an indication from Eleme for improving the formalism of LFG. This. study will examine these two issues, suggesting some possible augmentation on LFG paradigm, though the idea is still preliminary. I accept the fact that linguistic resources, such as annotated corpora, mostly semantics-oriented, are also needed to trigger manipulations on the augmented paradigm possible. The complete solution is predicated on not only academic research but also engineering realization it will not work without either.
This paper presents A - LFG, a type of CG that is similar to LFG. Like other types of CG, A - gra... more This paper presents A - LFG, a type of CG that is similar to LFG. Like other types of CG, A - grammars are multi-faceted and their constituents are combined in a 'strictly parallel' manner. Syntactic representations are combined using linear combinators, in a strict pure A - terms where each abstractor dominates only one variable. ln mathematical terms, this is equal to using linear logic, also use in LFG for semantic composition, but the approach here is practical. Although A - grammar is useful in formalizing a number of approaches to syntactic theory, they are normally used for the formalization of LFG. Therefore, this paper develops a theory termed A - LFG. In this paper, I demonstrated how the standard components of LFG are set up using this model. I also provided descriptions of c-structure, f-structure, and semantics. The difference between elucidating and constraining data were made clear in terms of entailment, and requirements on long-distance paths in f-structure using simple set of principles.
This paper focuses on the Ibani people, namely: Bonny and Opobo kingdoms. Both kingdoms were orig... more This paper focuses on the Ibani people, namely: Bonny and Opobo kingdoms. Both kingdoms were originally of one stock until the secession of Opobo in 1870 led by King Jaja. Bonny is the traditional and administrative headquarters of Bonny Local Government Area and the giant nation, Opobo is the capital of the Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State. Both
Bonny and Opobo are located within the southern coastal plain of the Niger Delta. It is a seaport with humid surroundings, a lot of creeks and rivers and it occupies a strategic location at the estuary close to the Atlantic Ocean - a vantage position and hub for water-borne overseas trading.
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Learn English Son proceeds systematically from fundamentals of study skills and methods to analysis of English words and sentences. It attempts to give the potential writer an expert command of the fundamentals of good writing and the basic skills required for effective writing. It further attempts to examine the principles that underlie good written English and to suggest the best methods by which students may write good
English. It provides advice and instruction on verbal logic, clarity of expression, emphasis, consistency of style, and how to structure paragraphs and essays. It concludes with recommendation on handling the larger elements such as the paragraph and the whole of the composition.
The Modern Languages Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) styles of documenting research papers have been added, along with instructions on using the Library and Internet for research.
Learn English Son may be studied as a course, proceeding from the simple to the more complex. Students may practice each principle in turn and be assured of their progress by using the exercises. The book has many idiosyncrasies due to the author being a non-native speaker, having taught English and Linguistics in Nigeria, Britain, and the United States. I have kept in mind the persistent need of writers for compact, ready reference work.
Consequently, the diversified contents are clearly demarked and are readily identifiable to facilitate the finding of specific principles or answers to particular problems of composition.
Chapter I gives information about where the Eleme people live, their origin, beliefs, socio-cultural background, occupations and the linguistic classification of the language. It also presents an overview of the literature on and in the language and the model used for this description. It reassesses the internal
classification of the Ogonoid group and suggests that Yeghe be considered a distinct language not a dialect of Kana or Gokana. Secondly, Gokana has Bodo, Bomu, Dere and Kibangha as dialects contrary to Vobnu (1991: 34) who identified southern, western and central. In the same vein, Kaani is also a dialect of Kana contrary to Kobo ( 1991: 42) who recognises only Babbe, Bo 'ue, Ken-Kana, Nor-Kana, Tee and 'Yeghe' dialects for Kana.
Chapter 2 argues that,' unlike many Cross-River languages, Eleme vowels contrast [-nasal] and [+nasal]. In other words, Eleme has significant contrastive nasalization. Nwolu-Obele ( 1998: 139) claims that [a] is a front vowel in Eleme. This study through phonetic experimentation has shown that [a] is a central not a front vowel in Eleme. Contrary to the assertion that, there is no vowel harmony in Ogonoid (cf Faraclas 1989: 388 and Ikoro 1996: 25), this study demonstrates that, vowel harmony is an active synchronic process in Eleme.
Chapter 3 identifies and describes four very unusual phones in Eleme [ S w ] • [ t S w ] , [ d3 w ] and [ pj] . It uses combined phonetic evidence and phonological argumentation to resolve that [ tl ] , [ cfa], [ kp], [ gb], [kw] and [ gw] are single segments not sequences.
Chapter 4 notes a significant distinction in the syllable structure of the western Ogonoid (Ban and Eleme) and the eastern Ogonoid (Gokana, Kana, Tai and Yeghe) languages. The western branch has only open syllables, whereas the eastern branch has close syllabics. The syllable types in Eleme are V, N, CV, CVV and CVCV. These contrast with the archetypal syllable types for
Cross-River languages, which are CVC, CGV, CVN, CVVC and CVV.
Chapter 5 discusses nasality, nasal harmony and nasal spread. The directions, constraints and conditions of application are also discussed. It demonstrates that, unlike most Cross River languages, Eleme is characterised by the presence of syllabic nasals.
Chapter 6 analyses the phonological processes, which affect various vowels and consonants. It argues that these processes are very systematic rather than 'indiscriminate' (Bond 2002: 24). It argues further that the phonological processes affecting vowels highlight the functional unity of phonological rules
that are driven by the enforcement of the Eleme syllable template.
Chapter 7 argues that, in the Eleme verbal system, the tone pattern of verbs roots does not follow from the usual dichotomy of infinitive versus imperative, as many Benue-Congo tone languages do (cf Cook 1985, Zee and Inkelas 1990 and lkoro 1996), but rather on a trichotomy of infinitive, imperative and indicative moods.
Chapter 8 discusses language endangerment and the need for detailed documentation and revitalisation of Eleme.
Chapter 9 summarises and concludes the work.
It is therefore crucial that vocabulary study be included in this volume to enhance learners' competence and performance in the other language skills. The organization of this unit is simple. Section 1 answers a number of pertinent questions such as what is a word? What vocabulary should be learned. How should vocabulary be learned? Section 2 deals with developing fluency with vocabulary across the four skills. It also elucidates strategy for vocabulary development, lexical bar, while section 3 focuses on vocabulary size and language proficiency. I now take up the issue of word definition.
rhyme with data from Eleme. Eleme belongs to the Ogonoid
group spoken to the east of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers
State in Southeastern Nigeria. The language is classified as:
Niger-Congo; Benue-Congo; Cross River; Delta Cross;
Ogonoid; Eleme. The intent of this study is to refute some of
Yip's claims because my data compel such. The theoretical
framework adopted for this study is optimality. The paper
reviews pertinent literature focusing on Yip (1999). My
position is modest: 'humans have both an aptitude and a taste
for creating repetitive-sequences, and they may use this skill in a variety of ways that are more or less part of the core grammar of the language'. Of course, au fond grammatical knowledge is involved in all linguistic repetition, as can be seen by the implicit knowledge of syllable structure these phenomena evince. The mechanisms are the same, no matter what the function of the repetition. More specifically, I have claimed that the mechanisms distinguish rhyme and alliteration, and it is this that allows for repetition of either the whole or the part. These mechanisms have their grammatical incarnation as universal optimality theory constraints, motivated here through reduplicative data, but presumably also involved in poetry if one accepts Holtman's central claim that poetic rhyme is controlled by an OT grammar.
studies. For the purposes of this orthography, speakers of both dialects were consulted. The differences between the two varieties are not thought to be significant enough to undermine the present work. Linguistically, the Eleme-speaking area is surrounded by both closely related languages and more distantly related languages that belong to a large number of language families. These include Ijoid languages to the west, Igboid languages to the north, and Cross River languages to the south and east.
such speculation is that the name is derived from the Mythical progenitor of the Egene people called Ogene. The second speculation is that the name Egene is derived from the verb geni 'look'. This source has it that the frequent use of the
verb by Egene speakers caused some strangers to call the people Egene.
one-half are found in Imo State. The population of the speakers of Egbema is 167 ,438 (Est. 2008).
although English language, Linguistics and- Communication
students will equally benefit from it. The plan and organisation
of this paper is simple. First, it tackles decisions about priorities
in pronunciation and answers three basic questions: What type
of pronunciation is to be taken as a model? How does the model of pronunciation used as a target differ from what obtains in the country presently? What teaching methods should be used in the teaching of the various sounds of English? Second, it examines 'priorities and tolerances' in teaching Nigerian English Ascent (NEA) segments and the accompanying prosodic features. Third, it focuses on 'teaching methods' drawing on the works of Kenworthy (1987, 2000) and Brown (1991). Fourth, it x-rays pronouncing dictionaries. Finally, it considers the problem of the assessment of a learner's
performance, from the point of view of both reception and
production. Hopefully its findings and recommendations will
go along way to help the Nigerian classroom situation.
presentation of the poets ' personas. The poems also vary in terms of their strengths, in terms of phrasing, vividness, clarity, complexity, generality, rhythmicality, subtlety and forcefulness of tone. But both poems con verge on the use of elasticity of space, spatial deictic and language-stretching structures. This paper examines also the recurrent linguistic patterns, lexical cluster, modality, syntax, monologic and polyphonic points of view, contextual use of language, idiolect, paralinguistic rhetorical devices such as figures of imagery and speech, language stretching structures and internal contrasts in contents of the poem. Finally, the paper evinces how all these highlight the poems' effects.
with the. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) held on 17th September 2009 at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt; The consensus amongst the workshop participants is that efforts should be made to secure the approval of fourteen (14) more
orthography of Rivers languages. The Okrika language was one of the languages to benefit from this 'new initiative'. Dr Isaac Eyi Ngulube, Mr Geoffrey A. Somiari, Mrs Esther B. Tobin, Mrs Elizabeth Agaga and Hon. Tekena Jamabo were assigned the responsibility of producing the draft copy of the Okrika
orthography to be considered and adopted at a joint meeting between the Wakirike be se Language Committee and the Rivers State Readers Project.
themselves prefer to be called Ali Ogba or simply as Ogba.
There are four main clans that make up Ogbaland. They are Egni, Igburu, Usomini and Omoku. But there are three major dialects of Ogba, they are Egni, lgburu and Usomini, these dialects are mutually intelligible, and whatever differences exist are restricted to the area of phonemic variation and a few lexical variants. A number of tonal alternations exist in sentences between these dialects, but these are less conspicuous. Igburu is the socially dominant dialect. In other
words, it is the reference dialect or literary dialect of the area. A survey conducted by Amadi Ahiamadu (1990) attests to this.
Local Government Area in Anambra State.
needed to trigger manipulations on the augmented paradigm possible. The complete solution is predicated on not only academic research but also engineering realization it will not work without either.
abstractor dominates only one variable. ln mathematical terms, this is equal to using linear logic, also use in LFG for semantic composition, but the approach here is practical. Although A - grammar is useful in formalizing a number of approaches to syntactic theory, they are normally used for the formalization of LFG. Therefore, this paper develops a theory termed A - LFG. In this paper, I demonstrated how the standard components of LFG are set up using this model. I also provided descriptions of c-structure, f-structure, and semantics. The difference between elucidating and constraining data were made clear in terms of entailment, and requirements on long-distance paths in f-structure using simple set of principles.
Bonny and Opobo are located within the southern coastal plain of the Niger Delta. It is a seaport with humid surroundings, a lot of creeks and rivers and it occupies a strategic location at the estuary close to the Atlantic Ocean - a vantage position and hub for water-borne overseas trading.
Learn English Son proceeds systematically from fundamentals of study skills and methods to analysis of English words and sentences. It attempts to give the potential writer an expert command of the fundamentals of good writing and the basic skills required for effective writing. It further attempts to examine the principles that underlie good written English and to suggest the best methods by which students may write good
English. It provides advice and instruction on verbal logic, clarity of expression, emphasis, consistency of style, and how to structure paragraphs and essays. It concludes with recommendation on handling the larger elements such as the paragraph and the whole of the composition.
The Modern Languages Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) styles of documenting research papers have been added, along with instructions on using the Library and Internet for research.
Learn English Son may be studied as a course, proceeding from the simple to the more complex. Students may practice each principle in turn and be assured of their progress by using the exercises. The book has many idiosyncrasies due to the author being a non-native speaker, having taught English and Linguistics in Nigeria, Britain, and the United States. I have kept in mind the persistent need of writers for compact, ready reference work.
Consequently, the diversified contents are clearly demarked and are readily identifiable to facilitate the finding of specific principles or answers to particular problems of composition.
Chapter I gives information about where the Eleme people live, their origin, beliefs, socio-cultural background, occupations and the linguistic classification of the language. It also presents an overview of the literature on and in the language and the model used for this description. It reassesses the internal
classification of the Ogonoid group and suggests that Yeghe be considered a distinct language not a dialect of Kana or Gokana. Secondly, Gokana has Bodo, Bomu, Dere and Kibangha as dialects contrary to Vobnu (1991: 34) who identified southern, western and central. In the same vein, Kaani is also a dialect of Kana contrary to Kobo ( 1991: 42) who recognises only Babbe, Bo 'ue, Ken-Kana, Nor-Kana, Tee and 'Yeghe' dialects for Kana.
Chapter 2 argues that,' unlike many Cross-River languages, Eleme vowels contrast [-nasal] and [+nasal]. In other words, Eleme has significant contrastive nasalization. Nwolu-Obele ( 1998: 139) claims that [a] is a front vowel in Eleme. This study through phonetic experimentation has shown that [a] is a central not a front vowel in Eleme. Contrary to the assertion that, there is no vowel harmony in Ogonoid (cf Faraclas 1989: 388 and Ikoro 1996: 25), this study demonstrates that, vowel harmony is an active synchronic process in Eleme.
Chapter 3 identifies and describes four very unusual phones in Eleme [ S w ] • [ t S w ] , [ d3 w ] and [ pj] . It uses combined phonetic evidence and phonological argumentation to resolve that [ tl ] , [ cfa], [ kp], [ gb], [kw] and [ gw] are single segments not sequences.
Chapter 4 notes a significant distinction in the syllable structure of the western Ogonoid (Ban and Eleme) and the eastern Ogonoid (Gokana, Kana, Tai and Yeghe) languages. The western branch has only open syllables, whereas the eastern branch has close syllabics. The syllable types in Eleme are V, N, CV, CVV and CVCV. These contrast with the archetypal syllable types for
Cross-River languages, which are CVC, CGV, CVN, CVVC and CVV.
Chapter 5 discusses nasality, nasal harmony and nasal spread. The directions, constraints and conditions of application are also discussed. It demonstrates that, unlike most Cross River languages, Eleme is characterised by the presence of syllabic nasals.
Chapter 6 analyses the phonological processes, which affect various vowels and consonants. It argues that these processes are very systematic rather than 'indiscriminate' (Bond 2002: 24). It argues further that the phonological processes affecting vowels highlight the functional unity of phonological rules
that are driven by the enforcement of the Eleme syllable template.
Chapter 7 argues that, in the Eleme verbal system, the tone pattern of verbs roots does not follow from the usual dichotomy of infinitive versus imperative, as many Benue-Congo tone languages do (cf Cook 1985, Zee and Inkelas 1990 and lkoro 1996), but rather on a trichotomy of infinitive, imperative and indicative moods.
Chapter 8 discusses language endangerment and the need for detailed documentation and revitalisation of Eleme.
Chapter 9 summarises and concludes the work.
It is therefore crucial that vocabulary study be included in this volume to enhance learners' competence and performance in the other language skills. The organization of this unit is simple. Section 1 answers a number of pertinent questions such as what is a word? What vocabulary should be learned. How should vocabulary be learned? Section 2 deals with developing fluency with vocabulary across the four skills. It also elucidates strategy for vocabulary development, lexical bar, while section 3 focuses on vocabulary size and language proficiency. I now take up the issue of word definition.
rhyme with data from Eleme. Eleme belongs to the Ogonoid
group spoken to the east of Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers
State in Southeastern Nigeria. The language is classified as:
Niger-Congo; Benue-Congo; Cross River; Delta Cross;
Ogonoid; Eleme. The intent of this study is to refute some of
Yip's claims because my data compel such. The theoretical
framework adopted for this study is optimality. The paper
reviews pertinent literature focusing on Yip (1999). My
position is modest: 'humans have both an aptitude and a taste
for creating repetitive-sequences, and they may use this skill in a variety of ways that are more or less part of the core grammar of the language'. Of course, au fond grammatical knowledge is involved in all linguistic repetition, as can be seen by the implicit knowledge of syllable structure these phenomena evince. The mechanisms are the same, no matter what the function of the repetition. More specifically, I have claimed that the mechanisms distinguish rhyme and alliteration, and it is this that allows for repetition of either the whole or the part. These mechanisms have their grammatical incarnation as universal optimality theory constraints, motivated here through reduplicative data, but presumably also involved in poetry if one accepts Holtman's central claim that poetic rhyme is controlled by an OT grammar.
studies. For the purposes of this orthography, speakers of both dialects were consulted. The differences between the two varieties are not thought to be significant enough to undermine the present work. Linguistically, the Eleme-speaking area is surrounded by both closely related languages and more distantly related languages that belong to a large number of language families. These include Ijoid languages to the west, Igboid languages to the north, and Cross River languages to the south and east.
such speculation is that the name is derived from the Mythical progenitor of the Egene people called Ogene. The second speculation is that the name Egene is derived from the verb geni 'look'. This source has it that the frequent use of the
verb by Egene speakers caused some strangers to call the people Egene.
one-half are found in Imo State. The population of the speakers of Egbema is 167 ,438 (Est. 2008).
although English language, Linguistics and- Communication
students will equally benefit from it. The plan and organisation
of this paper is simple. First, it tackles decisions about priorities
in pronunciation and answers three basic questions: What type
of pronunciation is to be taken as a model? How does the model of pronunciation used as a target differ from what obtains in the country presently? What teaching methods should be used in the teaching of the various sounds of English? Second, it examines 'priorities and tolerances' in teaching Nigerian English Ascent (NEA) segments and the accompanying prosodic features. Third, it focuses on 'teaching methods' drawing on the works of Kenworthy (1987, 2000) and Brown (1991). Fourth, it x-rays pronouncing dictionaries. Finally, it considers the problem of the assessment of a learner's
performance, from the point of view of both reception and
production. Hopefully its findings and recommendations will
go along way to help the Nigerian classroom situation.
presentation of the poets ' personas. The poems also vary in terms of their strengths, in terms of phrasing, vividness, clarity, complexity, generality, rhythmicality, subtlety and forcefulness of tone. But both poems con verge on the use of elasticity of space, spatial deictic and language-stretching structures. This paper examines also the recurrent linguistic patterns, lexical cluster, modality, syntax, monologic and polyphonic points of view, contextual use of language, idiolect, paralinguistic rhetorical devices such as figures of imagery and speech, language stretching structures and internal contrasts in contents of the poem. Finally, the paper evinces how all these highlight the poems' effects.
with the. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) held on 17th September 2009 at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt; The consensus amongst the workshop participants is that efforts should be made to secure the approval of fourteen (14) more
orthography of Rivers languages. The Okrika language was one of the languages to benefit from this 'new initiative'. Dr Isaac Eyi Ngulube, Mr Geoffrey A. Somiari, Mrs Esther B. Tobin, Mrs Elizabeth Agaga and Hon. Tekena Jamabo were assigned the responsibility of producing the draft copy of the Okrika
orthography to be considered and adopted at a joint meeting between the Wakirike be se Language Committee and the Rivers State Readers Project.
themselves prefer to be called Ali Ogba or simply as Ogba.
There are four main clans that make up Ogbaland. They are Egni, Igburu, Usomini and Omoku. But there are three major dialects of Ogba, they are Egni, lgburu and Usomini, these dialects are mutually intelligible, and whatever differences exist are restricted to the area of phonemic variation and a few lexical variants. A number of tonal alternations exist in sentences between these dialects, but these are less conspicuous. Igburu is the socially dominant dialect. In other
words, it is the reference dialect or literary dialect of the area. A survey conducted by Amadi Ahiamadu (1990) attests to this.
Local Government Area in Anambra State.
needed to trigger manipulations on the augmented paradigm possible. The complete solution is predicated on not only academic research but also engineering realization it will not work without either.
abstractor dominates only one variable. ln mathematical terms, this is equal to using linear logic, also use in LFG for semantic composition, but the approach here is practical. Although A - grammar is useful in formalizing a number of approaches to syntactic theory, they are normally used for the formalization of LFG. Therefore, this paper develops a theory termed A - LFG. In this paper, I demonstrated how the standard components of LFG are set up using this model. I also provided descriptions of c-structure, f-structure, and semantics. The difference between elucidating and constraining data were made clear in terms of entailment, and requirements on long-distance paths in f-structure using simple set of principles.
Bonny and Opobo are located within the southern coastal plain of the Niger Delta. It is a seaport with humid surroundings, a lot of creeks and rivers and it occupies a strategic location at the estuary close to the Atlantic Ocean - a vantage position and hub for water-borne overseas trading.