THE PHONOLOGICAL PROCESSES OF THE ISOKO LANGUAGE

ABSTRACT

This study examines the phonological processes of the Isoko language. Isoko language is a Southwestern Edoid language of the Niger-Congo family spoken by the Isoko people in parts of Delta State and Bayelsa State. The present study is carried out using the autosegmental phonology theory developed by Goldsmith (1976). This theory adequately accounts for the phonological processes present in the Isoko language. The study employs the qualitative method of data collection, using a wordlist of 250 words as an instrument of data collection. Competent speakers of the Isoko language were interviewed and their speech recorded to observe their pronunciation of the Isoko equivalents of the wordlist. The data was analyzed using the autosegmental phonology theory. The study reveals that the Isoko language has thirty nine phonetic sounds; thirty consonants and nine vowels. The study identified five phonological processes in the language which are vowel elision, nasalization, glide formation, vowel assimilation and vowel insertion. The discoveries of this work will serve as a guide to both speakers and learners of the Isoko language and also as a reference for linguistic researchers in the language.