DEPARTMENT OF LINGISTICS STUDIES

This research examines cohesion and coherence in Yoruba discourse, studying song texts used in Yoruba engagement ceremony. Cohesion is both the grammatical and lexical linking of sentences in a text. This is related to the concept of coherence, which deals with meaningfulness. The aim of this study is to examine how this concept of cohesion and coherence is achieved in the Yoruba discourse. The need of this study is for other linguists and interested researchers to know and understand how cohesion and coherence functions and achieved in both the Yoruba discourse and other African languages. The data collection technique for this research adopted both the primary and secondary method of data collection. The primary data collection techniques used to collect data by adopting the non- participant observation, I used writing, video recording and audio recording materials to gather data. I used the secondary data collection technique to gather secondary data and materials from libraries, internets and textbooks. The data was analyzed using Halliday and Hassan (1976) concept of cohesion, showing the links within the text using the cohesive devices. The analysis reveals that these cohesive devices are means of showing bond within the text which makes it meaningful i.e. coherence is being achieved by appropriate linking using cohesive devices, but these cohesive devices are not sufficient enough to achieve coherence in a text. In conclusion, cohesion is a means of achieving coherence in a text, but it’s not sufficient enough.

This research is an examination of the phonological aspects of English words borrowed into the structure of the Edo language. The study objectives are to identify and describe lexical items borrowed from English in Edo. To classify the borrowed words that have penetrated the Edo lexicon into types, and analyze the linguistic environment that characterizes the borrowed words. The
data are extracted from speakers of the Edo language are analyzed using the Borrowing Transfer Theory. The findings reveal that the borrowings occur at the lexical level as a communicative strategy of Edo speakers to find words that Stand for objects or new concepts in their culture. This study, also, shows that the borrowing situation occur as a result of the dominant language (English) exerting pressure on the less dominant language (Edo). Some of the borrowed items are already fully nativized in Ẹdo while others are only partially nativized. The partially nativized items are observed to contain forms that are not found in Ẹdo. These include English sounds (such as the voiceless palate-alveolar affricate [ʧ], the voiced palate-alveolar affricate [ʤ] and the voiceless palate- alveolar fricative [ʃ]), word initial and/or word final consonants in nouns, consonant clusters, etc.

This study investigates the phenomenon of conceptual metaphors in the Yoruba language, focusing on how emotions are expressed and conceptualized through linguistic discourse. These selected discourses will be subjected to qualitative content analysis and cognitive linguistic tools. The analysis will focus on identifying metaphorical expressions related to emotions and categorizing them based on the conceptual domains from which they originate. Drawing upon the Conceptual Metaphor Theory proposed by Lakoff and Johnson, the research aims to analyze selected Yoruba discourses to uncover the underlying conceptual metaphors used in expressions of emotions. The study adopts a qualitative approach, employing semantic analysis techniques to examine linguistic expressions and their metaphorical mappings onto emotional experiences in Yoruba culture. Through a careful examination of authentic spoken discourse, this project work identified recurrent metaphorical patterns and explored their cultural and cognitive implications. From the aspect of the rich linguistic and cultural context of the Yoruba language, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of how emotions are conceptualized and communicated within the Yoruba community. The findings of this research sheds light on the intricate interplay between language, culture, and emotion, providing valuable insights for cross-cultural communication studies and cognitive linguistics

Verbs of perception has been ignored over the years by Ukwuani Language speakers. The term "verbs of perception" such as hear, taste, smell, look, listen, feel e.t.c has not been given adequate attention by linguistics scholars. The number of basic perceptual verbs differ across various languages.The objective of this research is to identify and analyze perceptual verbs in Ukwuani Language syntactically. The theoritical framework employed in this research is Lexical semantics. I collected the data used in the analysis of this research from competent native speaker of Ukwuani Language. The method of data collection was through an oral interview where the informants participated. This research categorized perceptual verbs in Ukwuani into five classes which are, verbs for seeing, verbs for hearing, verbs for tasting, verbs for smelling, verbs for feeling. Ukwuani Language highly exhibit a great number of perceptual verbs and these verbs tend to be ambiguous. Unlike other Languages that combine sensory activities, Ukwuani language have different terms for each of the basic perceptual verb. All perceptual verbs in Ukwuani are expressed in relation to the sense organs.

This research carried out a pragmatic study of Edo proverbs on women. This research sought to answer two key questions, namely: What is the perception of women as reflected in the proverb? In what context are the proverbs used? The research used Relevance theory to analyze the data. Thirty proverbs on woman in Edo language were selected and analyzed in four categories, namely: the woman as a daughter; the woman as a wife; the woman as a female; the woman as a mother. The result revealed that women are seen as essential and important to the Edo people. The study also finds out that there is a minimal degree of derogatory proverbs on women in Edo language. The research also revealed that women are strong, zealous and hardworking as they are saddled with the responsibility of making and maintaining the home, birthing and caring for children as well as taking care of the husband. The data for this study are sourced from both primary and secondary data collection.

This work examines language change in the English language. It will provide an overview of the English language. This work will give a timeline of the English language with concentration on potential social factors that influenced changes in English. The objective of this research is to create a source document that contains a look into the diachronic and synchronic change of the English language. It is intended to examine the linguistic changes; that have occurred on the language. This work is intended to encourage acceptance of new forms in the English language as these changes are a constant in language growth. Theframework used includes the lexical, morphological, phonological, syntactic and semantic analysis of the English language from its recorded beginning. The data for this work was collected via a study of already existing documentation and the researcher’s knowledge on the topic in question. On the basis of this researcher’s findings, it was observed that the various types of English language are used in different levels of communication and also in different mediums; of communication. It was also observed that even though certain types of English are the standard, some ‘non-standard’ types are spoken as an L1 and are picking up traction towards standardisation