LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 21:2 February 2021
ISSN 1930-2940

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         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Copular Constructions in Defaka

Inoma Nsima George Essien

Abstract

Defaka is a grossly endangered Ijoid language spoken in the Eastern fringe of the Niger Delta Region of Rivers State, Nigeria; precisely, the Opobo-Nkoroo Local Government Area. The linguistic status of Defaka was first discussed in detail by Jenewari (1983). A comparison of the Defaka language and the Ijo language cluster revealed its genetic relationship with Ijo. More recently, the language has been documented and a detailed grammar written on it. Evidence from recent research reveals that, the language might be extinct in a couple of decades because there are fewer than fifty fluent speakers and intergenerational transmission has long ceased. Howbeit, much of the grammar of the language is preserved. This paper discusses predicate nominals and related clauses in Defaka. These construction types express the notion of proper inclusion, equation, attribution, location and existence. Predicate nominal and predicate adjective constructions exhibit similar morphosyntax. They employ juxtaposition and focus. There are two clitic morphemes, =te and =m and a locative verb i´mi` which mark location and existence respectively. There are no overt copula verbs in Defaka, but the clitic auxiliary verb =ri, which marks the progressive aspect, occurs in predicate locative constructions, acting like a copula verb, introducing the locative phrase. The toneless focus marker = k?, which occurs in equative predicate nominal clauses is not a copula but a subject focus marker. The grammatical analysis in this paper is basically descriptive.

1.0 Introduction

The Defaka people are a small speech community sharing an island with a dominant population of the Nkoroo (traditionally known as Kirika by its indigenes), whose linguistic relatives are the Kalabari, Okrika and Ib? ani?. The immediate neighbours of Nkoroo are the Opobo, Andoni, Ogoni and the Bonny people of Rivers State. A fragmented portion of the Defaka speaking community live on an island called Iwoama and some fishing settlements around Nkoroo. The Defaka are bilingual. They speak Defaka and Kirika. The stigmatization of Defaka by the Nkoroo has resulted in heavy language shift which has reduced the functional domain of Defaka, over the years from being used in a healthy traditional society, to use within the Defaka ward in Nkoroo. Defaka and Kirika are predominantly fishermen. But from the historical account of the founder of the present Defaka ward and the choice of location, (the Defaka have a larger expanse of land located more inter-land than the Kirika territory) it is obvious that in course of migration through the central Delta region, the Defaka had acquired a hunting culture, because they do more hunting than the Kirika. Primarily, the Defaka engage in similar economic pursuits as the Kirika. They trade in such sea products as crayfish, periwinkles, crabs, oysters and several kinds of fishes. They engage in basket weaving, net making, thatch making, petty trading and subsistent farming. Trading activities are carried out with their surrounding neighbours-the Andoni, Ogoni and Opobo. Their involvement in trading with these neighbours, facilitate the speaking of a number of these languages, Nigerian pidgin and Igbo, (the Opobo variety) ranking top most on the list.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Inoma Nsima George Essien
Department of Linguistics Studies
University of Benin
essieninoma@yahoo.com
Phone no. 08039743027
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