SYNTACTIC ANALYSIS OF NOUN PHRASE IN O ̩̀SO ̩́SO ̩̀

ABSTRACT

This research examines the syntactic structure of noun phrase in O ̩̀so ̩́so ̩̀ . The aim of this study is to examine and investigate the syntactic structure of noun phrase and its constituents and how noun phrases works in the language. This study also aims to further explain and identify the position of the head of a noun and the functional relationship between the head of a noun and all optionally occurring satellites and features that co-occurs with the noun in constructing a noun phrase in the language. The method of data collection employed in this study is direct elicitation from competent native speakers of the language. This study adopts the X - bar theory as proposed by Chomsky (1981). The major finding in this research shows that a typical NP in O ̩̀so ̩́so ̩̀ may consist of the head noun only or a head noun with optionally occurring modifiers. All modifiers are post head items with a strictly ordered pattern. The study also finds out that the position of the noun in òsósò is head first. The study concludes by noting that the Syntactic Structure and configuration of a typical NP in òsósò is N + [(Poss) (Dem) (Num) (Adj) (Quant) (Prep) (Rel. Clause)].