ABSTRACT
This study conducts a thorough analysis of reflexive verbs in Igbo, addressing a research gap in the specific examination of this linguistic aspect within the language. While previous research has touched upon Igbo verbs and reflexive verbs across languages, a dedicated investigation into reflexive verbs in Igbo is limited. The study aims to uncover the presence, forms, and functions of reflexive verbs in Igbo, enhancing our understanding of their essential role in defining properties and expressing variables. The theoretical framework integrates Michael Halliday's (1985) Functional Linguistics and Ferdinand de Saussure's (1913 & 1915) Structural Linguistics, providing a systematic approach to examining Igbo reflexive verbs. This approach emphasizes language as a communication system, focusing on grammatical, syntactic, and semantic aspects, contributing to a general examination of Igbo reflexive verbs. The qualitative research methodology involves collecting primary data through oral interviews with proficient Igbo speakers and secondary data from various written materials. The collected data, comprising verbs related to self-care, are categorized and classified through qualitative analysis. This study establishes four classes of reflexives verbs in Igbo language and they are:Verbs of Caring for the Whole Body, Verbs of Caring for a Specific Part of the Body, Braid Verbs and Verbs of dressing. The structure and meaning contribute to understanding syntactic structures, grammatical relationships, and the expression of self-directed actions. The findings of this study is fundamental to further research on reflexive verbs
Keywords: reflexives, verbs,Igbo,Reflexive Verbs.
