SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This thesis describes the grammatical structure of Ekpeye, an unwritten language of Eastern Nigeria. In the first chapter, there is an introduction to the Ekpeye language and people, and to the linguistic theory underlying this description, together with an outline of the analysis. Chapter 2 provides details of the transcription used in the thesis, and other phonological points. Chapters 3 to 13 contain the main body of the grammatical description, with units described in descending order of rank. The Sentence is outlined in chapter 3, and the Clause with its four classes and five types, in chapter 4, Chapters 5 to 7 deal with Phrase rank, a separate Phrase class being considered in each chapter. Chapter 5 contains the Nominal Phrase class with its five types, chapter 6 the Verbal Phrase class with its five types, and chapter 7 the Adverbial Phrase class with its single type. Chapters 8 to 11 describe Word rank in terms of four hyperclasses. Chapter 8 handles the Nominal hyperclass with its nine classes, and chapter 9 the Verbal hyperclass with its three classes and the three types found within one of the classes. Chapter 10 treats the Adverbial hyperclass with its three classes, and chapter 11 the Particle hyperclass with its eight classes. Stem rank is described in chapter 12, and Morpheme rank, with its two hyperclasses, in chapter 13. Chapter 14 contains an Ekpeye text fully analysed in accordance with the preceding description, and the thesis closes with a short bibliography.