CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

The main concern of this work is to examine the concept of Reduplication in Kenyang. Reduplication can be defined as the morphological process in which the root or stem of a word (or part of it) or even the whole word is repeated exactly or with a slight change. In other word Reduplication is a word information process in which meaning is express by repeating all or part of a word. The following chapters of this work present the following:

Chapter one presents the general introduction that is, it looks at the background to the study which includes the geographical location, historical and linguistic classification of kenyang, literature review, aim of study, scope of work. Methodology, expected result and significance of the study.

1.2 Background to the study

Kenyang (alternative known as nyang, Banyang , mayang) is a principal southern Bantoid language of the Mamfe. It is spoken in Manyu and Meme Divisions of the south west region of Cameroon in central Africa. It has about 65000 native speakers(Eberhard, Simon and fennnig, 2019).

There are there main dialects of kenyang; LOWER Kenyang spoken in Eyumojok and Manfe Central Subdivisions, upper Kenyang spoken in the upper Bayang sub-divisions and Kitwii spoken in the Meme Division. The upper and lower Kenyang dialect are more closely related to each other than to Kitwii. Variant names of Kitwii includes Kicove, Twii, Bakoni, Northern Balong and Manymen. (Mbuagbaw Tanyi Eyong 2008).

1.2.1 Geographical location

Kenyang is spoken in Manyu Division, an area found in the south western portion of Cameroon Equational rain forest region precisely in the cross region along the Cameroon Nigeria Border. It lays between latitude 5o and 6o 3 North and longitude 8o 6 and 9o 55 East of the Equator. The people of manyu share common borders with Nigerians and mundoni people to the East and the Mb people to the south west Mamfe is the sub Division head quarter of manyu division and the total land area occupies is approximately 65 488 square kilometer in the four subdivision of Mamfe central, Akwaya, Eyumojock and upper Bayang in the South weat region of Cameroon.

The Manyu people are situated in the equatorial zone thus belong to the Cameroonian types of equatorial climate. This type of climate is hot and very humid, characterized by an annual rainfall between 2,700mm and 3,600mm .It is marked by two district season. The rainy season (April-Sept) and dry season (October-March characterised by low temperature with high humidity respectively. Cromwell Enow 2014).

The Manyu land is generally low-lying the region has somehilly patches and broken ground in the North of the cross river towards the widikum escarpment and in the obang region –The region is generally referred to us the Mamfe basin. The average attitude is between 100mm and 150 above sea level. The lowest point is the center and Esagem where the region is as low as 50m above sea level. (Cromwell Enow 2014).

 

Historical situation

The migration and settlement of the indigenous population of the Bayang people came from two migratory routes originating from Nigeria According to chief Esim (a traditional ruler of t raicts. Others who were involved in fishing came through the water side.

Those who came Ekok originated Eastward from Ekok in the south eastern Nigeria The kenyang oral tradition holds that inter-tribal war, the escape from trade raiders and the desire by some Efik fishermen to do fishing at the Manyu ruler where the three fundamental factors responsible for the people migration.

In their movement from Nigeria, they were led by a hunter called Akwen, who led them through the forest crossing stream and trekking upon hills and valleys till they arrived the Ekok border settled in a forest area today know as Ehumojock. They later or had a split due to the fact that Akweris group began raiding some of the able men, selling them out as slaves to Nigerian slaves traders who wondered across the border in search of escaped slaves.

Those who separated from Akwen`s group settled elsewhere. It is believed that the villages of Kenbong, Ndpay and Mbakem came into existence as consequence of the separate and majority of the Ejagham people traced their origin from the movement. Those who came through the water side where Efik fishermen who had long carried out fishing activities in he Nigerian cross river and during one of their down want fishing sessions, they came in contact with the Manyu river.

Realizing that fishing at the Manyu river was more fruitful, the saw no need going back to Nigeria where there was a lot of fishing competition. They therefore began exerting permanent structures for settlement. In time, other fishermen migrated towards the Manyu river and so, their members increased. Most o the Bayang, Anyang and Boki speakers traced their history from this migratory trend.

1.2.3 Linguistic classification

Eberhard, simons and fennig (2019) classify Kenyang under Nigeria, Congo, Attlantic Congo, Volta Congo, Bantoid, Southern Bantoid and Mamfe.

1.3 Literature review

Although mush has been done on the kenyang language covering aspects of the grammar such as kenyang noun phrase (Ramisez 1980), in which she looked at the various elements of the kenyang noun phrase, very little or nothing has been yet on Reduplication in kenyang. Some of the researches who have worked on the language include the following- Tanyi (2000) the overview of kenyang segmental phonology (that is it’s consonants, vowels syllable structure and the sound language). Tyhurst (1984)  “sound system of Kenyang”.

Here, attention was paid on the sylabule structure of Kenyang nonus and some basic phonological process. Mansfield (1908) also presented an anthropological study of the area which is now referred to as Manyu Division. Also, Since (1898, a center has been created in Mamfe which has been in charch of promoting Literacy in Kenyang Ejagham and Danya.

The center is responsible for a number of public ations produced on the language, some of which include Alphabet chart (1990), Kenyang Folktales (1999). The walks seen above talked on very interesting processes in the language as regards reduplication leaving a gap to be filled. I therefore, believe works on reduplication particles on the language

1.4 Aims and Objectives

The work aims to describe reduplication in Kenyang language and to account for its pattern of behavior, Kenyang, unlike some other languages manifests little or no changes.

Thus, posing the need to be understood and described. Subsequently, by the end of this study, one will have another insight into the morphological and possible syndicating behavior of reduplication.

Check out: Linguistics Project Topics with Materials