A linguistic analysis of Rukiga personal names (original) (raw)
Related papers
Language Sciences, 2018
This paper is a contribution to the intellectual discourse on prototypical as well as emerging paradigms in African anthroponomy. It cross-sectionally examines traditional personal names among the Bikpakpaam (the Konkomba), a Gur ethnolinguistic group in northern Ghana. Situated within the general theoretical notion(s) of language-culture interface, the study adopts a mixed-method approach (using both qualitative and quantitative analyses) in describing Likpakpaln traditional personal names. Drawing on a stratified sample size of 600 personal names, the scope of this paper subsumes the typology, the changing patterns, the linguistic structure, and the communicative usage of personal names in the Bikpakpaam linguistic context. Typologically, the paper argues that indigenous Likpakpaln personal names can be categorised into six classes, of which insinuating/proverbial names constitute the preponderant category. Further to this, it is observed that there is particularly a contemporary shift towards what I call beareroriented insinuating/proverbial personal names. This shift in personal name preference hinges on a relatively novel cultural philosophical conviction of the Bikpakpaam that names have the power of de/constructing the personality and the trajectory of life of the individual. Also, importantly, the paper reveals that structurally, Likpakpaln personal names are predominantly clausal structures, although there are also names in phrasal and word forms. Ultimately, I show that the explication of the communicative usage of personal names among the Bikpakpaam as provided in this paper sets a stage for fashioning a cultural script for an aspect of addressing among the people.
A Linguistic Survey of Types of Names among the Babukusu of Kenya
Global Journal of Human-Social Science Research, 2015
It is the society that gives names and so they determine what a person, place or thing be named. This paper seeks to explain types of names among the Babukusu of Kenya within a linguistic context. It uses an inflectional or derivational approach to describe the pattern of the names. We discovered that the types of names namely, personal names, place names and names of things and tools have some form of morphological pattern. There is what we refer to as ‘indirect’ and ‘direct’ type of names. Kibukusu personal male and female names have prefixes to differentiate gender but share the same root word. This we have referred to as indirect reference of naming in some instances. Where there is a direct reference of naming, the names do not have prefixes because they are names that refer to other things, but are also used for persons. We observe that place names share the same features of personal names. Names for things and tools have been taken from Kiswahili and bukusulized in other word...
A Semantic & Pragmatic Analysis of Igbo Names
The paper investigates the semantic & pragmatic contents of personal names and naming in the Igbo language and culture. The objective of the paper is to examine the structure of Igbo names and analyze their semantic & pragmatic contents. The data are sourced from the Igbo language spoken in the South Eastern States of Nigeria. In other words, they cut across Standard and dialectal Igbo names. Selected personal names are grouped structurally according to their forms in the following order: lexical (or morph-morphemic) names, Noun-Noun phrasal names, Noun-Verb phrasal names, Noun-Verb-Complement/sentential names and Interrogation / Injunction names. The semantic and pragmatic analyses are made based on the structural data generated. The pragmatic analysis is handled by incorporating the context into the semantic contents. Our findings show that structurally Igbo names fall into three broad categories, namely: lexical category, phrasal category and sentential category. From our analysis, it is observed that among Ndigbo, a name is not just a tag of identity or personal label but a story and expression of the events and circumstances surrounding the birth of the child as well as the parents' life experiences and world view.
A comparative semantic analysis of personal names in Igbo and Tiv
Journal of Languages, Linguistics and Literary Studies
The study entitled ’A comparative semantic analysis of personal names in Igbo and Tiv’ is relevant because the available literature at the disposal of the researchers do not treat the semantics of Igbo and Tiv personal names from the comparative perspective. Hence, the present study is designed to examine the personal names in Igbo and Tiv with the aim of discovering the similarities and differences between Igbo and Tiv personal naming systems. The study is predicated on LoCatsro (2012) notion of Anthropological Pragmatics. LoCatsro notion holds that the interpretation of semantic elements and properties are based on cultural peculiarities that can only be understood using the link between culture and contextual meaning of words. The conceptual framework supports the present study because it accounts for the existing personal names in Igbo and Tiv. The personal names in Igbo and Tiv, which are means of group and individual identities, usually reflect the experiences, wishes, religio...
Morphosyntactic Analysis of Some Akan Personal Names
International Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences Studies, 2021
This paper takes a look at personal names among the Akans of Ghana from a morphosyntactic perspective. It provides a structural linguistic analysis of the morphology and syntax of these names as they are used within Akan communication. Names are given in particular languages whose morphology, syntax and semantics inform their meaning to a great extent (Batoma, 2006). This implies that understanding personal names anchors on taking a critical analysis of the internal structure of the word(s) and the syntactic structure that constitute the name besides sociolinguistics, socio-cultural and ethno-linguistics domains. The paper investigated the morphological and syntactic structure of about one hundred and sixty (160) Akan personal names. The data for this study was collected from both primary and secondary sources. The researcher also supported this approach with interviews with the bearers and sometimes the givers of the names to ascertain the complete structural components of such names since some might have undergone some linguistic processes unknown to the researcher. The study noted that at the morphological analysis level, some Akan names were single stems, compounds, affixations, and reduplications. It was also realized from the data that at the syntactic level some names were by function declaratives, imperatives or interrogatives and structurally as simple, compound or complex.
A morphosyntactic and semantic analysis of toponyms among the Luhya: A case of Bungoma County
Journal of Languages, Linguistics and Literary Studies
Onomastics,the study of names has remained an area of marginal significance in research despite its importance in language studies. This paper conducts a morphosyntactic and semantic analysis of toponymns (place names) among the Luhya group of speakers in Western Kenya, Bungoma County. A structural and functional approach is used to analyse the naming patterns with the idea that African names, as signs of language, can be divided into two morpho-syntactic categories:nominal that is, they constitute single words, or syntagmatic, meaning they are made up of sentences or phrases. Purposively sampled thirty place names are selected from the IEBC inventory and nine key respondents from the nine sub counties. The 30 names are subjected to morpho-syntactic analysis whereas the semi-structured interviews are used to elicit data on etimology and meaning of names from the nine respondents within the framework of the Frame Semantic theory by Fillmore, (Fillmore, 1982). The theory is...
American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 2018
This article analyses the naming practice in Fg-∆ l`ae k`ae &, a Bantu Grassfield language spoken in the West Region of Cameroun. Our interest in this paper can be stated in the following queries: what is behind the sounds that make up the morphemes and the words used in Fg-∆ l`ae k`ae & language as Names? What are the morphological structure and the semantic implications of names in this area? Our objectives in this paper are manifold: first, we want to identify the various morphosyntactic structures of Fg-∆ l`ae k`ae & names. Secondly, it is aimed to discuss their semantic implications. Thirdly we want to sensitize the native speakers to enhance the value of their culture and identity through their family names. And finally to derogate the mental colonization and the excessive attribution of borrowed names to Cameroonian children, which in fact is taking them away from their culture, language and identity. The data used in this research were collected mainly from the central and Southern Ghóèmaàlaà' dialects. About one thousand (1000) names were collected and transcribed with IPA symbols. The analysis was carried out following the
Morphosyntactic Structures of Ibibio Personal Names
This work aimed at studying the linguistic significance of Ibibio names. This was done by collecting and analyzing the personal names in Ibibio. The data collected were analysed using the lexicalist hypothesis. The work reveals that Ibibio names are meaningful. As it is in other African societies, they are very important, reflecting the language of the people, the people's family background, cultural heritage, their belief system, aspirations, physical attributes, etc. Linguistically, the work reveals that Ibibio names can be nouns, noun modifiers, noun phrases, verbs and sentences. It therefore follows that the more we know about our names, the more we know about our language, our history, our value, our traditional religion, our ethnic cultures and ourselves.
Personal names in language contact situations: A case of Cross River State, South-eastern Nigeria
2015
In Cross River State, South-eastern Nigeria, languages incorporate a number of loanwords as personal names as a result of increasing contact with other languages and cultures. Such words are, therefore, borrowed wholesale or adapted phonologically into the onomasticon of the recipient languages, thus gaining wide-ranging acceptance, currency and usage. This paper examines the phenomenon of language contact and naming in three linguistic communities along the Cross River Basin - Agwagune, Ejagham and Lokaa - in relation to Efik, a dominant language and culture, which itself is in constant contact with English. The paper seeks to show the intricate interrelationship and direction of influence between personal names in the donor and recipient languages, taking into account ethnic hierarchies, and social formations that are found in the context where personal names are given and used. The study relied on Thomason and Kauffman's (1988) integrated theory of language contact as its the...
The Sociolinguistics of Igbo Personal Names
2019
Naming is a universal linguistic act. In Africa, naming is linked with traditions, values, beliefs, and events in people's lives. This study firstly presents sociocultural relevance of personal names in Igbo. Personal names in Igbo reveal important insights into the patterns of social and cultural organization of the Igbo society. The paper discusses the typology of Igbo names such as family names, occupational names, circumstantial names, market day names, kinship names, honorifics and title names, metaphoric names, etc. Igbo naming systems depict the Igbo culture and philosophy because an indigenous Igbo name identifies the bearer as a member of the Igbo society and carves a space for him/her in the society. In the traditional Igbo society, name givers chose personal names that reflect their culture. However, the changing modern and religious influences on the land and the people have left their impact on naming patterns. This results in changing naming practices. The paper, t...