The Morphosyntatic Structure of NPs in Tiv: A Minimalist Account

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1 J. J. Ishima The morpho-syntactic structure of s in Tiv: A minimalist account (pp: 43-48) 43 The Morphosyntatic Structure of s in Tiv: A Minimalist Account J. J. Ishima Department of languages and linguistics, Benue State University, Makurdi jljishima@gmail.com Abstract Tiv observes a very rigid syntactic structure, including strict limitations on what kinds of lexical elements can occupy a given node. The syntactic structure of s in Tiv is revealed through an analysis of the morphological markings of each element. Also, the specific lexical restrictions on components are projected by the distribution of morphological markings. The work projects how s are modified (by demonstratives, numbers, adjectives, and other descriptive processes), how complex s are formed, and how the corresponding morphology reveals the organization of components. The components of the are portrayed using the basic x-bar structure captured within the Minimalist Programme. The structure of s in Tiv Tiv observes a rigid distributional order of elements within the. The structure of s reveals morphological markings of each element. Also specific lexical restrictions on components are projected by the distribution of morphological markings. The work projects how s are modified (by demonstratives, numbers, adjectives, and other descriptive processes), how complex s are formed and how the corresponding morphology reveals the organization of components. In discussing aspects of specific lexical restrictions on components, prefixes and suffixes complement the distribution of morphological markers. This they do by determining the organization and combination of which lexical element can co-occur with the s or complex s to modify it. Therefore the modification of s by adjectives is achieved mainly through prefixation process. Here, adjectives prefix to the element in the phrase. Conversely suffixes are distributed through demonstratives which could be pronouns, umbers as well as possessives. The components of the are portrayed using the X-bar structure captured within the minimalist programme. The Structure The diagram below describe the structure 1. (XP) (complement +, Complement + + complement (adj.) (D) Prefixes and suffixes (depending on the distribution order), are obligatory on modifiers in the XP, i.e. (comp +, comp + + comp). This is found in numbers and adjectives. They are also found in demonstratives. The modifiers are contained within the complex ( + optional (adj.) (D). An attempt is hereby presented to show a description of the strict nature of the complex containing the head and thereafter throw light in the motivation for the complement. 3. Tiv has eight adjective stems Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics o. 4, 2012 ISS

2 J. J. Ishima The morpho-syntactic structure of s in Tiv: A minimalist account (pp: 43-48) 44 These are: 2. Pupuu white Gôgô Long yian red Tse old Ir black Hegh new Zege rich / big Tule new / young These eight stems are each matched up with an adjective prefix which corresponds to the noun class of the noun it is modifying. There are four classes of nouns in Tiv with a productive capacity in combination. The last two classes have each three forms for marking plural; however, each form is identified by a prefix particular to its class and number. It is these prefixes which are used to provide an agreement mechanism between grammatical elements. Consequently, the register of prefixes in Tiv contains prefixes, each corresponding to a particular noun class. It is again observed that each adjective s class prefix is regulated by the prefix (class) of the noun which it complements. There are certain modifiers on constructions which serve as qualifiers of nouns. They are referred to as alternative modifiers since they are not adjectives strictly. Because prefixation rule has to apply in the component position, they are prefixed by another morpheme from the possessive concord. These prefix morphemes have specific descriptive semantic elements which are used in descriptive possessive constructions to indicate qualities or constituents which a noun may adopt. Consider the following examples: 3. [[Kyondo- i] [i i- Tse] xp] [[ prefix- cloth ] [poss. prefix ADJ tse ] xp] The old cloth 4. [[You i] [i ki zegenan]xp] [[ prefix yam ] [poss. prefix ADJ prefix - big ]Xp] The big yam Verb as a modifier Such verbs like gor shout, may undergo selective affixal transformation to become a modifier in the complement to the noun. Here gor has i- prefixed to it, and -on, suffixed to it to derive i-ngor - on 5. [[ka-bua] [i-ngor-on]xp] [[ prefix Bull] [Poss. Prefix suffix charged ] xp] The charged Bull oun as a modifier In Tiv as in many other languages, colour names are classified as nouns. This is exemplified more in the role they play as the constituents in a structure. The noun nyian red, redness takes a possessive prefix to become a modifier in the complement to the noun. 6. [[I idyer] [I nyian]xp] [[ prefix cap ] [poss. prefix red ]xp] The red cap In Tiv both pure and derived adjectives receive the same marking i.e. Tiv has no system of assigning adjective prefix to pure adjectives, and then assigning possessive marks to derived adjectives. What can be observed from the examples given in this work so far is that all adjectival elements (both pure and derived) take a possessive prefix (depending on the class of the noun (I -, ki-, u -), thus modifying the noun by describing an attribute possessed by the noun. The complex noun There is a strict limitation on the amount and type of elements that can form a complex by joining with the head, in syntactic structure optional elements like demonstrative pronoun or number cannot serve as proper determiner and a DP with the. There seems to be a specific Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics o. 4, 2012 ISS

3 J. J. Ishima The morpho-syntactic structure of s in Tiv: A minimalist account (pp: 43-48) 45 unifying relationship within the position between the head and its optional internal modifier. The complex is an entity that is formed in the syntax and it is evidenced by agreement morphology. In the light of Orijime, the rule schema for the expansion of the Tiv is represented as (7) below, where the is rewritten as: 7. Adj. We observe that the position in the Tiv can consist of Only the head A complex : the head plus one demonstrative pronoun (like this or these ) A complex : the head plus one number (including words like many and nominal number such as two ). The complex in Tiv varies in terms of the optional constituents it can permit. To capture the constituents however, the parenthesis notation is used as shown in (8) below: 8. (Adj.) (D) Parenthesis notation indicates an optionality of a constituent so enclosed (Radford 1990, etc). Also, the optional constituents are maintained in a paradigmatic relationship. Morphological marking of the reveals the followings: The head is not marked with any standard nominal noun class; But the internal elements of the complex are marked by a limited set of agreement morphology, including prefixes which are applied to nominal numbers as well as demonstratives. Here the possessive prefix is only applied to elements in the Complement of the noun. This summarizes the morphology corresponding to syntactic position within the complex, with matching affixes to the class of the head. Complex - 9. alone [[-Takerada] ] [ ø prefix- stem]] Book 10. +adj [[-bua] [zege-u] D] [[ ø prefix stem] [Adj. stem Adj. suffix] D] Big Cow umber [[-bua] [i- i] D] [[ ø prefix stem] [ prefix- um stem] D] Two cows For demonstrative pronouns however, the accepts a corresponding suffix on the stem e.g. + demonstrative pronoun 12. [[-bua] [-ne] D] [[ stem- suffix] [ stem- DEM suffix] D] This Cow It appears like in Tiv, numbers are nouns which appear to be realized as adjectives, yet they can form a complex with the head, just like pure adjectives do. There are perhaps different adjectival and number affixes which serve as descriptive features which can be possessed by a head. All in all these are nominal in nature and the affixation here, whether adjectival, number or demonstrative pronoun indicates the stem s syntactic ability to form a complex with the head. it is in regard to this, that strings such as Two Cows and These Cows are realized. Three things are observable in this operation: (a). the elements which take the adjectival prefix are Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics o. 4, 2012 ISS

4 J. J. Ishima The morpho-syntactic structure of s in Tiv: A minimalist account (pp: 43-48) 46 actually oun-like elements. (b). It appears the two elements inside the head position are indeed nominal in nature (c) The suffix on demonstrative. Summary of morphological corresponding to syntactic position within the complement to (all prefixes correspond to the noun class and the head ); in complement to - each item is marked with a corresponding possessive prefix, (Baumbach, 1987:185). This trait is obtainable in Bantu languages. 13. Adjective, e.g. [[] [- ki- zegenan]] [[] [poss. prefix Adj. prefix- Adj. stem big ]] Big 14. Adjective derived from verb, e.g, [[] [I- hyunden]] [[] [poss. prefix- verb stem to be mad ]] Madness 15. Adjective derived from an adverb, e.g. [[][Ishima-iken]] [[] poss prefix ADV stem inside ]] Inside 16. Adjectives derived from a noun, e.g. [[] [Zwa u- Iorfa]] [[] [poss. prefix stem mouth ]] Mouth The observation made is that in Tiv where adjectives are to be derived from nouns, it is a nominal noun that is marked by a noun class prefix, which acts as a modifier and also serves the function of possessive marker. This seems to be a consistent pattern in the other examples where the prefix maker, depending on noun class, serves as possessive marker. Dominance hierarchy of complex noun elements The rigid order of Tiv s is such that the head can incorporate just one other element to form a complex. the possible incorporating items are determiner- type elements (D), either demonstrative pronouns or numbers. This is captured in the phrase structure rule below: 17. (xp) (D) D demonstrative pronoun or number The dominance hierarchy as observed is such that demonstratives take precedence over number in the complex. consider examples (19) where a number has formed a complex with the head, and (20) where a demonstrative has formed a complex with the head. 18. Head + number [[M] [[or] v [[I tyakerada] [I- har] D]] ]vp]s [[Ips][v read - past]v [[ prefix book ][Adj.prefix- two ] D]]]VP]S I read two books 19. Head + D [[M] [[or] V [[I tyakerada] [ne] D]] ]vp]s [[IPs] [[ read past] v [[ prefix book ] [dem. these ] D] ] ]vp]s I read these books Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics o. 4, 2012 ISS

5 J. J. Ishima The morpho-syntactic structure of s in Tiv: A minimalist account (pp: 43-48) S M V VP Or D I- tyakerada I- har 19.1 S VP M V Or D I- tyakerada ne From examples (19) and (20) it is observed that in an containing both a demonstrative and a number, the demonstrative will occupy the position immediately following the (thus forming a complex with it), thus compelling the number to reside in the complement through a morphological process. This is better explained in example (20). 20. Head + number and D [[M] [[or] v [[I tyakerada] [ne] D]] (I har]xp]]s [[IPs] [[ read past] v [[ prefix- book ] (dem., these ] [Adj. pref- two]xp] ]vp]s 20.1 I read these two books. From the foregoing analysis, it is evident that in dominance hierarchy, demonstratives and number share the ability to form a complex, with a special flexibility on the part of numbers- a number can modify the head noun either as a part of a complex noun or as a derived adjectival element in the complement, while the demonstrative can only exist inside the complex. Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics o. 4, 2012 ISS

6 J. J. Ishima The morpho-syntactic structure of s in Tiv: A minimalist account (pp: 43-48) 48 S VP M V D XP Ityakerada ne I har Conclusion The work reveals that according to minimalist tradition, Tiv s have a strict and controlled selection of syntactic and morphological configurations. Here, the (complex) head could contain the head ; optionally a single determiner which is appropriately marked with a corresponding prefix of the head. In dominance hierarchy, demonstratives have preference over numbers. Also, numbers can serve as either determiners or as derived adjectives in the complement, indicated by morphological markings. When however an has no determiner elements at all, the single fill the head position alone, and all modifiers are placed in complement position with the corresponding morphological markings, which are usually possessive prefixes. References Abraham, R. C. (1940). The principles of Tiv London: Crown Agents: Millbank. Baumbach, E. J. M. (1987). Analytical Tsonga grammar. Studio Originalia, 3 Pretoria: University of South Africa. Orjime, D. S. (2004). Syntax and the study of Tiv language. Makurdi: Selfers Publications. Radford, A. (1988). Transformation grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Journal of Igbo Language & Linguistics o. 4, 2012 ISS