NOMINALIZATION IN URHOBO

ABSTRACT

This project carries out an analysis of the nominalization strategies in the Ughelli dialect of Urhobo. The study was motivated by the need to investigate and document the different nominalization strategies in Urhobo and also the types of nominals derived from the language. The project however focused on nominalization at the lexical/word level in the language of study. The set objectives included to identify the nominalization strategies and types of nominals that occur in Urhobo. The primary data for the project was collected through interviews by the researcher from native speakers of the Ughelli dialect of Urhobo while the secondary data was gotten from articles and journals like the Ibadan 400 word list. The informants consisted of (5) native speakers of the Ughelli dialect of Urhobo. The theoretical framework adopted was the Government and Binding theory which is a descriptive framework that allows each language to explain its structure following its natural laws. The project discovered that the process of nominalization in Urhobo is very productive using strategies like Prefixation, Suprafixation, Domestication and Compounding. It also discovered the different nominals employed in Prefixation process of nominalization.