CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
GENERAL BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
This
research work is on the aspect of the syntax of Kurama language. By Syntax we mean
the branch of linguistic analysis which involves the branch of linguistic
analysis which involves the arrangement of words to form grammatical sentences
in a rule governed way.
Syntax
is also the study of the way in which different meaningful units of language
can be constructed and combined to form larger units such as sentences and the
interrelationships of the these larger
constructions. According to Yishai Tobin (1990) it should be noted that there
are many aspects of syntax but this research work will specifically focus on
the verb phrase of Kurama Language.
A
phrase could be described as a group of words that form an integral part of a
sentence. There are different types of phrasal categories, for example; Verb,
Noun, Prepositional, Adjectival, Adverbial Phrases e.t.c. Each phrasal category
is headed by its name. A Verb Phrase is headed by a Verb which may also have
many satellites.
In this chapter, we will look at the
historical background of the language, sociolinguistic profile under which we shall
discuss the marriage, religion, mode of dressing, occupation, festival,
language status, the location as well as genetic classification of the
language. The research methodology used is the frametechnique while government
and binding theory is used to analyze Kurama verb phrase.
1.1
HISTORICAL
BACKGROUND OF KURAMA PEOPLE
The
tribe known generally as Kurama, but who call themselves the Akurmi (singular
Bukurmi) or the north and the North-West of the Katab in the Zaria provinces.
They number between 11,000 and 12,000 persons, and are administered by the Emir
of Zaria.
They claim a traditional collection
with Kano, and in proof of this claim assert that the Kurmi market at Kano
derived its name from them (Viz the Akurmi). The more learned among them that
is those most influenced by contact with the Muslims, profess to be able to
trace the wanderings of the tribe back to the time when they dwelt at Medina.
There in the early days of Islam the
tribe was partially exterminated as a punishment for their habit of giving
false measures of corn. The more honourable among them were allowed to depart,
and came to ,
where they dwelt for 730 years.
Thereafter they proceeded to Kano, and
occupied the Dala district of the city
for 431 years, being driven out by the Kutumbawa, some say for refusing to
accept Islam, others for refusing to give their daughters in marriage to the
Kutumbawa who were not prepared to perform the marriage rites.
1.2
SOCIOLINGUISTIC
PROFILE
The
language (Kurama) is used as a means of communication in the market and it is
also used in teaching primary school. The language is spoken in many town in
Kaduna and Kano States, some of which are; Ikara, Saminaka, Tudunwada etc.
1.2.1
MARRIAGE
The normal mode of obtaining a wife
among the Kurama people is through agricultural service whereby the husband to
be will labour on the farm for the father of the bride. The man will also make
cash available and other payment to the girl’s parent or guardians.
A
bride price of 40,000 – 60,000 cowries, one basket of rice, one pot of honey,
these gifts were given during the concluding or final rites. Intermarriage with
close relatives of the mother is prohibited by tribal custom.
1.2.2 RELIGION
Muhammadanism
is spreading and those who have not embraced it practice a lackadaisical form
of ancestor worship in which, as so often among the Semi-Bantu speaking tribes.
1.2.3 MODE
OF DRESSING
Dressing
is an important aspect of any culture. Your dressing will speak for you that is
the tribe that you belong to.
The
Kurama people dress according to oral history, like the Hausas.
1.2.4 LANGUAGE
STATUS
Kurama
language is spoken in the northern part of Nigeria. The population of the
speakers in Nigeria as at 2000 is 40,300.
The Kurama language is a language
within the sub groupings of the Benue – Congo group of languages, which are in
turn the largest branch of the Niger-Congo language family. The language is
indigenous to Nigeria, with a little over 40,000 speakers (2000 estimate).
Kurama
speakers are found in the central Northern Nigeria states of Kaduna and Kano.
The
alternative names for the language are; Akurmi, Akurumi, Azumu, Bagwama,
Bukurumi, Tikurami (by non-native speaker)
The
language is spoken in Saminaka and Ikara local government area of Kaduna state
and Tudunwada Local Government Area of Kano State. “Akurumi” the people,
“Tukurami” the language and “Bukurumi” is the speaker.
1.2.5 OCCUPATION
The people of Kurama are mainly
Agriculturist. They plant crops like Maize, Beans, Millets, Guineacorn, Yam,
Melon, Wheat (Alkama) and Vegetables. Some of them engage in bush hunting and craft making like
mats, image, and skin (for shoes and bags).
1.3 GENECTIC
CLASSIFICATION
Genetic classification is based on the
assumption that the language have diverse from common ancestors. This method
used in classifying language genetically is based on resemblance found in
language.
Kurama language is from the largest
language family in Africa, that is, Niger Kordofanian.
1.4 DATA
COLLECTION
The method of linguistic data collection used
in this work for the purpose of obtaining illustrating data is through the use
of an informant whose name is Mr. Yohanna Yusuf, a native of Yarkasua in Kaduna
state and he is 25years old. Ibadan 400 wordlist was used to obtain data. We
also made use of frametechnique.
Frametechnique could be described as
the syntactical analysis of language data, using sentences and not just
morphemes like wordlist. In frametechnique, words are not considered in isolation.
Wordlist could be described as the
medium through which a researcher or investigator collect information on the
language being studied through the help of an informant or language helper. The
use of wordlist appears to be the quickest form of obtaining linguistic data.
By it application, a linguist is able to obtain both phonetic and phonemic
consonant and vowels in that language.
1.5 DATA
ANALYSIS
It should be noted that the statistic
of the data collected has a linguistic significance to this work, with the use
of Ibadan 400 wordlist; we were able to collect to two hundred and forty-nine
(249) Nouns, one hundred and twenty-eight (128) verbs and, twenty two (22)
adjectives with the help of the native speaker. Twenty sentences were collected
which includes verb phrase which comprises of transitive and intransitive
verbs.
1.6 BRIEF
REVIEW OF GOVERNMENT AND BINDING THEORY
The theory was made known by a popular
American linguist called Noam Chomsky just to eradicate the lapses discovered
in the structural grammar. He published a book in (1957) titled “Syntactic
structures” which established the idea of generative grammar itself. Another greater research was made by him
which led him to the publication of a book known as “Aspects” it is really
called “Standard theory” in (1965) purposely to make a clear distinction
between the deep and the surface structures. “Deep structures” is an abstract
level of structural organization which deals with meaning while “surface structures” is thereby dealing with
the phonetic or spoken form of every sentence (Horrocks, 1987:2, Cook 1988:28)
During the 1970s, this led to the
extended standard theory referring to the types of rules that were employed
which now developed into the Government and Binding theory named after”
Lectures on Government and binding “Chomsky 1981a, Cook 1988:1) G.B
Theory/Model is a Chomsky overall theory involving abstract and difficult sub
theories, creating a new simplicity and capturing the internal and universal
knowledge of language using small numbers of properties. The following are the
sub-theories of Government and binding theory:
1.
X- bar Theory
2.
Bounding Theory
3.
Case Theory
4.
Control Theory
5.
Theta Theory
6.
Binding Theory
7.
Government
Theory
The above sub-theory of G.B will be
explained respectively purposely to know the importance of each and how they
are applied.