SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This thesis is a preliminary study of the phonology and grammar of the Lokee language. The first chapter gives a brief general introduction to the people and their language. It also outlines the theoretical framework of the study. Chapter 2 describes the phonological hierarchy, focusing primarily on the phoneme, syllable, phonological morph and phonological ward units. Chapters 3-7 describe the morpheme, word, phrase, clause and sentence units of the grammatical hierarchy respectively, presenting classes at each rank in terms of its elements of structure and showing the realization of these elements in structure. Chapter 8 is a brief description of patterning above the sentence that provides a setting to illustrate the function of the sentence. Lokee has one of the most elaborate concord-class systems among the Cross River languages of Eastern Nigeria. It is here described at the word, phrase and clause ranks of the grammatical hierarchy at which it is relevant. The thesis concludes with an appendix consisting of some sample texts that show preliminary orthography largely based on the preceding analysis of the phonology and grammar of Lokee.