Abstract

This work examines an important aspect of the syntax of Sari which is pronouns. The data used here are primary and secondary. Primary data were collected from the field with the help of a language consultant and with the use of instruments like a word list notebook and pens and a tape recorder. Secondary data were obtained from literature on related topics, various texts from the library, centres like SIL, dictionaries not leaving at information collected from the internet.

The primary objective of this work was to describe pronouns. Thus, this work argues that pronouns are placed at sentence initial and final positions and their placement does not utter the form of the sentence in Sari.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

This work is aimed at providing an in-depth examination of pronouns in Sari. Chapter one is an introduction to the work and handles the following topics; geographical location, linguistic classification, economic background, statement of the problem, research questions, aim of the work, scope of this study, theoretical framework and the methodology of the study.

1.2 Background of the study

From the most common words in the English language are pronouns, which are used to substitute nouns and noun phrases (a constituent which is formed by a determiner and it is formed by a noun. Talking about their function and also their importance it is known from the study of the origin and history of the word (etymology) pronoun which is known from 1520 and it derives from the word pro- and noun; words that are from the French language have the same meaning as in English but they are joined together with a Latin word pro-nomen from pro-in place and nomen which means noun.

In grammar, a pronoun is defined a word or a phrase that may be substituted for noun or a noun phrase, the part that is replaced is known a pronoun antecedent. This is possible for simple reason that a pronoun itself can do everything that nouns can do.

A pronoun can be everything; a pronoun can be a subject, direct object, indirect object. If pronouns wouldn’t exist it will have to keep on repeating nouns and that would make speech and writing monotonous or uninteresting, using pronoun is very easy because pronouns are short words, and simple. Even though pronouns are usually used to replace nouns, this can easily change because pronouns can also stand in for certain adverbs, adjectives, and also other persons.

Riley, (1995:104) said that pronouns are used to substitute nouns, and their main function is not only to act as referents, but it must think about the verbs of place, that as it is known from the previous knowledge they refer to place, and now they are used in place of nouns. This is why this research is done on the pronouns of Sari to know its types, pronominal markers, its referents and environment of occurrence, also because nothing has been done on this aspect of the Sari language.

1.3 Statement of problem

The Sari language is a less renowned language as such little has been done on the language as compare to other more renowned languages that a lot have been researched on them like the Mokpe and Oroko languages. It is in light that the researcher chose to carry an investigation on the topic entitled the syntax of pronouns in Sari: emphatic pronouns. Looking at the pronoun types, their pronominal makers and their environment of occurrence. Since nothing has been done on this aspect 0f the language

1.4 Research Questions

1. What are the various pronominal markers used in identifying pronouns in Sari?
2. Which position do pronouns occupy in the Sari language?

1.5 Aim of the Study

In this study, we will look at types of pronouns, how they function, the pronominal markers used to indicate each of them and their environment of occurrence in the Sari language. We shall do so using an appropriate theoretical framework, that is, one which is not only descriptively adequate but also explanatorily adequate. This study will therefore not only add to what other researchers or linguists like Eyoh, & Hedinger (2007) and Bep (2015) have already done but will also serve as a reference work to other upcoming researchers and to the Sari community and create room for further studies to be done on this topic.

1.6 Scope of the work

The focus of this work limits us to the description of the various types of pronouns, how they function, the pronominal markers used to indicate them, and their environment of occurrence. This will be examined with the help of sentences. The scope of this work is limited to the description of pronouns and so we will not be analysing any other categories which have nothing to do with sentences.

The scope of the work is limited to pronouns because, the researcher has very limited time to complete this research. And as such looking at other aspects in the language that are not part of the research will require so much time, which might delay the realization of the work on time.

1.7 Theoretical Framework

A theory is an instrument with a number of properties that can be used to test the validity of a hypothesis. In choosing a theoretical framework, the most appropriate theory should be considered. It is in this light that we selected the theory of Government and Binding by Noam Chomsky (1981) to analyze the data.

Government is an abstract syntactic relation between two words is based on the idea of selection, while binding deals with the relationship between pronouns and the expressions with which they are co-referential. The binding theory proved to be more efficient in handling pronouns.  The theory of government and binding is chosen for this study because, in this theory Chomsky said a pronoun must be free in its governing category; where the governing category is the minimal domain containing the pronouns and pronoun must be free and not bound