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ABSTRACT
This study is a linguistic analysis of ‘gbè’ in Esan. It examined the nature of ‘gbè’as a lexical item in Esan. It also accounts for the phonological structure (tonal patterns); the nature of the lexical class(es) and formation strategies; syntactic features and distribution; and sematic classes and interpretation of ‘gbè’ in Esan.
Data for this study were gathered from a variety of sources, including several settings in which the native speakers use the Esan language. Statements that contain gbe were extracted from the data collected. The framework for the study was based on Wittgenstein’s contextual theory of meaning. At the syntactic level, it examined the syntactic environments and at the semantic level, it examined the meaning(s) and use of ‘gbè’ in Esan.
The study found that ‘gbè’ in Esans is ambiguous. It was observed that ‘gbè’ fits into more than one lexical class depending on the context in which it is used. This study revealed that ‘gbè’ occur both at initial, middle and final positions. The study concludes, amongst others, that ‘gbè’ in Esan have more than one meaning but this same form. The context of usage of ‘gbè’ determine its meaning(s)
