Mose, Edinah Gesare (2012) The Structure and Role of the Determiner Phrase in Ekegusii: A Minimalist Approach. Masters thesis, Kenyatta University.
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Abstract
This study analyzes the different DP structures and roles in Ekegusii using the Minimalist approach. The study has three objectives, namely: to describe the structure of the DP, to analyze the semantic roles of the DP and to establish the extent to which the DP in Ekegusii can be accounted for using the MP. In terms of structure, we found out that the DP in Ekegusii projects various functional projections. These include DemP, PossD and QP. Overt noun raising was observed as the NP raises to check agreement, possessive and number features. Other elements seen to adjoin the NP were APs, PPs and relative clauses. As for the semantic roles, we established that the DP in Ekegusii plays various semantic roles which include agent and theme among others. The motivation for the study stems from the assumption that the Minimalist Program is a universal theory that can account for the syntactic operations in all world languages. As for Ekegusii, this was the case. Also, linguists have noted that Ekegusii is an under described minority language with relatively few academic descriptions, something that necessitated this study. A descriptive research design was adopted because it is best suited for it provides a picture of a phenomenon as it naturally occurs. Data was collected firsthand by use of compositions, from already existing written sources in Ekegusii and introspection. We used purposive sampling in the choice of the respondents who wrote a composition as well as in choosing appropriate sentential constructions for the study. The data obtained was analysed using the MP. The operations move and merge was used in the analysis of the structure and roles of the DP. It is hoped that the findings of this study will be of benefit to curriculum developers in improving existing curriculum materials in Ekegusii, to linguists and scholars interested in Bantu linguistics it is hoped that this study will be a useful reference.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | P Language and Literature > PE English P Language and Literature > PI Oriental languages and literatures |
| Divisions: | Africana |
| Depositing User: | Tim Khabala |
| Date Deposited: | 13 Sep 2017 06:40 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Sep 2017 06:40 |
| URI: | http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/2061 |
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