CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
This research work gives a detailed account of wh-movement in Igbo content questions which is referred to as wh-questions.
Wh-movement is a mechanism of syntax that helps express a question (or form a relative clause sentence or clauses containing a wh-word show a special word order) that has the wh-word appearing at the front of the sentences or clauses. Wh-movement is present in many languages around the world. This work establishes the types of wh-movement that operates in Igbo; it affirms that both the syntactic and logical form wh-movement occurs in Igbo. Furthermore, this study reveals that multiple wh-questions can remain in- situ in Igbo interrogatives, contrary to the English-type languages. This work also investigates ‘ka’ complementizer insertion in wh-movement.
1.2 Brief History of Igbo Language
Igbo is one of the most spoken languages in West Africa, spoken by 18 million people in Nigeria (1999 WA). It belongs to the Benue-Congo group of the Niger-Congo language family. The language is thought to have originated around the 9th century A.D in the area near the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers and then spread over a wide area of southeastern Nigeria. Igbo is one of the official language in Nigeria, it is spoken in the Southern Delta State of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo as well as in the North-East of Delta State and in the Southern East of Rivers State. In the states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, Igbo is the main language of trade and commerce. It is used in the mass media communication. Although Igbo is taught at all levels in Eastern Nigerian schools, English remains the principal official language of the country.
There are 30 Igbo dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible. The large number of dialects has hindered the development of standardized spoken and written Igbo based on the Owerri and Umuahia dialects, which is in use since 1962.
1.3 Statement of Problem
It has been observed that the issue of form and insertion of the ‘ka’ complementizer in some questions pose a problem especially to second language learners of Igbo language. This is a problem that this study handles in detail.
1.4 Aims and Objectives of the Study
- The purpose of this study is to identify the head movement in Igbo content questions and the insertion of ‘ka’ complimentizer in some Igbo content questions.
- This study equally reveals that Igbo operates both syntactic wh-movement and logical form.
- It will also serve as a contribution to academic research in linguistics
- The study is intended to show to what extent the data can be accommodated with the TGG framework.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This research work is emphatically propelled by the need to discuss how transformation emanates from kernel sentences. It gives detailed and clear understanding/ comprehension of wh-movement in Igbo language. It will also be a means to throw illumination to the reason why ‘ka’ is inserted into some wh-questions.
1.6 Scope and Limitation
The study shall be concerned with the transformation grammar. Transformational Generative Grammar (TGG) is broad and thus in using it as an approach to the study, we shall limit it to the GB model in handling wh-movement in Igbo language for proper effect. The study is also restricted to simple wh-questions in Igbo language, this is to enhance easy understanding of the analysed data.
The limitation of this research is insufficient time and money to judiciously carry out the research.
1.7 Methodology
The methodology employed in this research is the primary and the secondary sources. The Igbo community was centred on and respondents were selected randomly on the basis of age and sex. Data were gathered primarily through the use of non-structured questionnaires by means of oral interview. Data were analysed using Government and Binding Theory.