The Structure of Nigerian Arabic Noun Phrase

Jidda Hassan Juma’a , Aisha Iya Ahmed and

Muhammad Aminu Muazu

ABSTRACT

Nigerian Arabic a western Sudanic Arabic in Owens (1993b) description is

spoken in the northeastern part of Nigeria in Borno. Structurally the language has

two alternative word orders VSO/SVO. The most commonly featured structure in

the language is the SVO, on which the current paper on noun phrase is based,

where the noun phrase structure comprises NP+M (noun modifier). This study

highlights that noun modifiers in Nigerian Arabic are quantifiers/qualifiers,

demonstratives, prepositions, possessives, numerals and adjectives. All of these

modifier elements occurred post head in an NP structure, except

quantifiers’/qualifiers which occur pre head. The different structural occurrence of

the noun modifier elements explain the difference in the word order of the

language; where post head modification coincides with VSO structure and pre

head modification coincides with SVO structure.

1.0 Introduction

Speakers of Nigerian Arabic popularly known as Shuwa inhabited the north and

the southern part of Borno with relatively high concentration in the grazing

hinterland surrounding Lake Chad. Their language as classified by Greenberg

(1965) and Abubakre (1988) is Semitic language a sub-group of the Afro-Asiatic.

According to Barth (1965), Owens (1993a, b), (1995) and Saleh (1976) the Shuwa

Arabs have entered into the central (bilad-assudan), sub-Saharan belt between 15th

and the 16th century. Cattle rearing, farming and recently cattle sales form the

important business activities of the Shuwa Arabs in Borno. Like many other

ethnic groups in Nigeria, Shuwa Arabs are presently found in all parts of the

country engaging in all types of businesses including their primarily-owned

business i.e. cattle marketing.

Recent population figure of Shuwa Arabs in Borno, are not readily

available. However, previous estimates vary from 250,000 Barth (1965) and

155,514 figures for 1963 Census, which represent 20% of Borno population at

that time. Actual population figure for Shuwa Arab at present will remain a

mystery, only an accurate ethnic-based future census will account for it.

1.1Aims of the Study

The aim of this paper is to describe the structure of the noun phrase (NP)

in Nigerian Arabic, with the objective of examining the different elements

occurring in an NP slot. This, we will show through NP phrase structure and the

tree diagram to illustrate that systematically.

2.0-Method of Data Collection

The method of collecting data to this study is based on structured

interviews with native speakers of Nigerian Arabic from whom we draw the

research material. Since one of the authors of this article, is a native speaker of

Nigerian Arabic he helped us generate and formulate initial data from the

language. The first step is the presentation of the different types of the noun in

simple phrases in Nigerian Arabic to a sample of three native speakers. The

second step is the formulating of several forms of the different types of the noun

phrase. These forms were later tested with native speakers; the ones with the

highest frequency on the test results are considered plausible forms in the

language. . The acceptability test used here is meant for the analysis rather than

testing the validity of the items initially generated by the researchers.

We then analyzed the plausible NP forms by way of phrase structure and tree

diagram. This is to allow native speakers the right to evaluate their language and

give an acceptable rule to its grammar.

3.0-Review of Literature

This paper as we earlier highlighted, is an attempt to discuss the structure

of the noun phrase, which forms part of elements in sentence. Assuming that an

NP is phrasal element, and then the study of structure and word order in language

is defined within the term syntax. The concept itself is part of grammar, which

deals with position, order, and formation of words in a sentence. Native speakers

of a language may have the intuitive knowledge about the rules used in order to

generate sentences even though they cannot describe them. A difficulty that

emanates from lack of technical skills that will assist native speakers in describing

the grammatical rules of their language, we can therefore say one’s knowledge of

native language is subconscious Culicover (1976). This is evidence supporting the

claim that knowledge of syntactic structure in language comes from the native

speaker’s intuition about the structure of sentences in his language. The structural

intuitions which native speakers have about the syntax of their languages are of

two types namely: (i) intuition about how sound sequence in sentences are

structured into successfully larger structured units which we call constituents, and

(ii) intuition about whether particular sets of constituents (i.e. structured units)

belong to the same category or not (Radford, 1989). Various scholars gave

different definition to the concept sentences in syntax. According to Galadanci

(1986) who stresses sentence components defined syntax as made up of individual

units each qualifies as word. However, Chomsky (1976) defined a grammatical

sentence as the one acceptable to the native speaker. On the other hand, (Radford,

1989) defines it as the study of how words are combined together to form

sentences. The above definitions appear to be greatly influenced by focus of

individual scholar. While Chomsky is concerned with the grammaticality and

acceptability of a sentence to the native speaker, Radford and Galadanci put the

identity of the units in the sentence as the centre focus, which altogether form an

appropriate definition to the subject syntax. The noun phrase is part of the

sentence where noun serves as the nucleus or head of that constituent and may

include modifiers. It can also function as subject or object of a sentence.

According to Owens (1995) the term nominal phrase or noun phrase designates

any lexical category falling within the NP slot such as nouns, adjectives qualifiers

or demonstratives. However, Crystal (1988) said that the structure of a noun

phrase consisting minimally of the noun (or noun substitute such as pronoun), the

construction preceding and following the noun are often described under the

heading of pre-modification and post-modification respectively. While discussing

Kanuri noun phrase, Cyffer (1991) said the NP usually consists of a noun (or

pronoun) as a nucleus and optional modifiers, which are placed after the noun. In

principle, the NP in Nigerian Arabic behaves almost the same way it does in other

languages especially it is function as subject or object in the sentence structure.

However the lexical element occurring in an NP structure tends to vary with other

languages. The NP elements occurring in Nigerian Arabic are the determiners

(qualifiers, demonstrative and numerals) adjectives, preposition and prepositional

adverbs. These are elements of both NP and VP constituents. The qualifiers and

demonstratives occur pre- and post-head noun, while numerals, adjectives are

post-head. Prepositions and prepositional adverbs occur pre-head and post head,

this phenomenon will be explained in more details in the analysis of data.

4.0-Noun Phrase in Nigerian Arabic

The noun phrase in Nigerian Arabic comprises, qualifiers, quantifiers,

possessives, demonstratives, adjective and prepositional phrase. While qualifiers

occur as pre head modifiers, qualifiers, possessives, demonstratives, adjective and

prepositional phrase appear post head in the structure

4.1-Determiners (Pre-head qualifier)

The pre-head modifiers in Nigerian Arabic are kulli, goolit, kunni, adni,

anni, ayni, usum, ayyit, ayyi (every) each occur before the noun and are variably

used by native speakers of the language and apply to both plural and singular

nouns feminine or masculine.

(1)-kulli goolit kunni ʃadr(a) kabiir(e) daliile

adni, anni, ayai

(Every) (tree(s) (big) shady

“Every big tree is shady”

(2)-usum, ayyit ayyi kabiir sabuur

(Every) big (elder) (patient)

“Every elder is patient”

The above structure shows the quantifier followed by an optional adjective, as it is

possible for quantifier elements to be followed by noun and then verb. The

quantifier elements kurd, catt, “all” koma, duk, “many” ʃiya “few” agree in

number/gender with the following and preceding element since they signify mass

plural noun. However, the quantifier element waahid, had to inflectionally agree

with gender/number of the preceding and the following element, e.g.

(3) nadim waahid kubur

(person) (someone m.sg)(became big)

“Someone grew big”

(4) bit wahde kubur+at

(girl) (one sg fem) (became big fem. sg)

“A girl grew up”

(5) naas wahdiin kubr+o

(people) (some of them) (became big) ( m. pl)

“ some people grew up”

(6) ban+aat wahd+aat kubr+an

(girls . fem. Pl.) (some +fem. pl.) (became big fem. pl.

“some girls grew up

It can be observed here that the quantifier elements waahid occur in (3) as male

singular and (4) female singular wahde, male plural wahdiin in (5) and female

plural wahdaat in (6) above. The preceding and the following elements also agree

inflectionally with the gender and number of the quantifier elements waahid used

in different structures.

4.2-Post head Quantifier (numerals)

Numerals in Nigerian Arabic as noun modifier generally occur post head

in normal NP structure e.g.

(7)-Bagar talata

(cows) (three)

“three cows”

(8)-naas kamsa

(people) (five)

“five people”

It however sometimes occurs pre-head with some restrictions e.g.

(9)-Talata bagar

(three) (cows)

(10)-xamsa naas

(five) (people)

4.3-Possessive

The possessive element occurs post-head, and it comprises the

independent and dependent pronouns, e.g.

Independent Dependent

(11)-Hiil/hana hintaat (belong, mine) I, (mine)

aa, (hers)

a, (his)

ki, (yours sing. f.)

k, (yours sing. m.)

kan, (yours pl. f.)

ku, (yours pl. m.)

han, (theirs pl. f.)

hum, (their pl. m.)

na, (ours pl. f.)

The independent possessive stand post head, which ought to be followed by

another noun with possessive suffix attached to it. , e.g.

(12)-albagara (hiil) axu-yi

(the cow) (belongs) (brother-mine)

“ The cow belongs to my brother”

(13)-attor (hana) axuuk

(the ox) (belongs) (brother+yours)

“ The ox belongs to your brother

The independent possessive element (hiil) agrees with feminine noun while (hana)

agrees with masculine. The dependent possessive type can be suffixed to the

dependent, e.g.

(14)-Albagara di hiil i/ ak/ a/ ha/ ku/ han /hum

The cow this belongs (mine) (yours) (his) (hers) (yours) (theirs)

na kam

ours yours

“This cow belongs to ( me…… etc)

(15) attor da hanay+i

(the ox) (this) (belongs+me)

“This ox belongs to me”

The dependent possessive are sometimes suffixed to the head noun, e.g.

(16)-di bagart/a /k/ etc.

(this) (cow) (your mas. sg)(his) (your sg. Fem.)

“ this is (your, his ) cow

4.4-Demonstratives

The demonstrative as NP element signify close and far object e.g.:

Close Far

(17a) Sing.

M da daaka

This that

F di diike

(17b) Plural

M doola dulaka

These those

F deela delaaka

The demonstratives showing far distant objects have the characteristic of

occurring with initial implosive da [đ]. They occur as post head modifier e.g.

(18)-ar+rajil da kabiir “this man is big”

(def.- man) (this) big

(19)-al+mara di kabiir(e) “ this woman is big”

(the- woman) (this) big

In this sequence, the demonstrative occur between the noun and the adjective for

demonstratives showing closer object. The same pattern also applies to

demonstrative indicating far objects, e.g.

(20)-arrajil daaka alkabiir

def. man that sg. Mas. ( def. big, he)

(21)-almara diike alkabiire

def. woman (that sg. Fem.) (def. big, she)

Another alternative structure of the demonstrative is it is occurrence in final

position. For instance the examples number 20 and 21 can be transposed thus:

(22)-Arrajil alkabiir da “this big man”

Def. man def. big this

(23)- Arrajil alkabiir daaka “that big man”

Def. man def. big that

It can be observed from the above structure that Nigerian Arabic has double

determiners in an NP involving demonstratives and possessives elements. The

noun in this structure occurs definite followed by a demonstrative and final

adjective. In its transposed form however, the demonstrative comprises definite

noun, adjective and a demonstrative final.

Both demonstratives showing far and close objects can be located pre and post

head. The structural pattern of demonstrative applies to close and far object and

agree in gender and number with the following or preceding elements.

4.5Adjectives

Adjectives modify nouns and can be modified by an adverb showing

intensity like bilheen, marrawahid “extremely absolutely” as well as various

ideophone elements, e.g.

(24)-Toor kabiir billeen “extremely big/tall ox”

Ox big “extremely”

dawiil

tall

(25)-Bagara kabiire) marrawahid “absolutely big/tallcow”

Cow big absolutely

dawiile

tall

Ideophones elements modifying adjectives are, e.g.

(26)-Toor asfar wak “ an extremely yellow ox

Ox yellow extremely

The adjective sequence occurs next to the head noun followed by an adjective

modifier as shown above. The sequence can be sometimes reversed in the

structure with the adjective modifier occurring before the adjective noun as in the

following, e.g.

(27)-Albagara bilheen dawiile “extremely tall cow”

(def. cow) marrawahid (tall)

(extremely)

The above structure of the adjective modifier applies to all adjective modifiers

with the exception of ideophone elements modifying color adjectives. As the case

with other NP elements, adjectives tend to agree with noun in both gender and

number, e.g.

(28)-Albagar duwaal bilheen “the cows are extremely tall/big”

(def. cow) (tall pl.) (very)

Kubaar

(big pl.)

The adjective modifiers however, show no number or gender distinction.

4.6-Prepositional phrases

Items occurring as preposition in Nigerian Arabic are tihit, (under), foog

(on) e.g.

(29)-Alkalib foog aʃʃadara “the dog is on/under the tree”

(on)

(def. dog) tihit (the tree)

(under)

In the above structure preposition occur post-head next to a noun, which must be

followed by another noun. These same elements also sometimes occur as adverbs

modifying an optional verb preceding them, e.g.

(30)-Alkalb (dala) foog aʃʃadar

(def. dog) (climbed) (on) (the tree)

“the dog climbed the tree”

(31)-Alkalb (gait) tihit aʃʃadara

def. dog sitting under the tree

“the dog is sitting under the tree”

A structure like the above requires a verbal noun or verb before the preposition..

There are however prepositional adverbs that occur next to pronoun or noun and

optional verb or verbal noun. Elements that occur as adverb in Nigerian Arabic

are qaadi “there” hassa, dugud “now” and ajala “quickly” e.g.

(32)-Alkalb gaa’id gaadi fil wadi

(def. dog) (sitting/living) (there) (in the bush)

“ the dog lives in the forest”

With regard to time adverbs like dugut, hassa (just now) the structural formation

is different, e.g.

(33)-Arrajil dugut maʃa “the man just left”

(def. man) hassa) (went (he))

(just)

The above structure shows time adverbs occurring before the verb.

Time adverbs are sometimes completely reduplicated to show intensity or

emphasis, e.g.

(34)-Arrajil dugut dugut maʃa “ the man has just now left”

(def. man) hassa hassa (went (he))

(just now)

The difference between preposition and adverbs in Nigerian Arabic is that

preposition does not occur with verbs while adverbs do. On the other hand

preposition occurs as single element in an NP structure, while adverb occur both

single and reduplicate especially the time adverb. Both preposition and adverb

occurs post head and that justify their treatment as one unit in structural analysis.

For their behavior and function however they can be treated separately.

To explain the NP structure in Nigerian Arabic there is the need to illustrate this

by way of tree diagram. We will show here the commonest aspect of NP not all

other possible aspects as may be seen in the data analysis. The tree diagram will

follow the pattern/order of data presentation in this paper where we have to follow

it sequentially, e.g.

Determiners

Diagram (1) NP quantifier pre-head noun

Kulli ʃadara kabiire “every big tree”

(every) (tree) (big)

NP

Det N adj

Kulli ʃadara kabiire

Diagram(2)NP quantifier post head noun

Anas kurd kubro “ all people grew up”

Def. people all grow

NP

Det N AP

Al

(the) nas

(people) Det adj

Kurud kubro

(all) (grow)

NP Det + AP

AP Det + N + adj.

Diagram(3)NP numerals post head noun

bagar talata “three cows”

(cows) (three)

banaat kamsa “fivegirls

(girls) (five)

NP

Det N

bagar talata

(cow) (three) NP N + Det.

(cow) (three)

Diagram (4)NP (possessive) post head elements

al bagara hiil akuyi “the cow belongs to my brother”

def. cow belong brother my

NP

N Det

(al) bagara

det (cow)

‘NP2

Poss N

hiil akuyi

(belong) (brother)

NP Det. N-NP2

NP2 Poss. + N

Diagram(4) NP (Demonstrative) Post head noun

arrajil da kabir “ this man is big”

(det. man) (this) (big)

NP

Det N

Al det. Adj.

Rajil da kabir

(man) this big

NP Det + N + NP2

Det + adj.

Diagram(5)NP (Adjective/Modifier)

albagara safra marrawahid “an extremely yellow cow”

(def. cow) (yellow) (extremely)

NP

Det NP

al

the

N AP

bagara

cow

Adj det

Safra marrawahid

yellow extremely

NP Det + N AP

AP adj + Det

Diagram(6) NP Preposition

alkalb foog aʃʃadara “the dog is on the tree”

def. dog on def. tree

NP

Det N PP

al kalb

(the) (dog)

Prep. NP2

foog

(on) Det N

al ʃadara

(the) (tree)

NP Det + N + PP

PP prep + NP2

NP2 Det N

5.0- Conclusion

From our discussions and analysis, we had seen that the noun phrase (NP) in

Nigerian Arabic has the following as elements within its constituent i.e.

quantifiers, demonstratives, possessives, numeral, adjectives and prepositional

phrases. Each of these elements exhibit a different behavior when occur in an NP

slot. Quantifiers are found pre head only, while adjectives possessives and

prepositional phrases are post head. Demonstratives and numerals are however

different from the above elements as they occur pre and post head. This however

occur in demonstratives with some restriction as post head occurrence is not

popular in the language going by our informants confirmation, that it happens

only at emphasis. Considering the above assertions therefore, noun modifiers in

Nigerian Arabic all occur post head with the exception of qualifiers/ quantifiers

occur pre head position, which suggests the preponderance of post head

occurrence of modifier elements and not the reverse.

References

Abubakre, R.D. (1988) “Aspects of Variations in the Nigerian Arabic Dialect”.

Annals of Borno Vol. V. University of Maiduguri, pp. 185-195.

Barth, H. (1965) Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa. London,

Frank Cass (Third Edition).

Chomsky, N. (1976) Aspect of the Theory of Syntax. Cambridge, Massachusetts

Press.

Crystal, D. (1980) A First Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics. London,

C.U.P.

Culicover, P. (1976) Syntax. USA, Academic Press.

Galadanci, M.K.M. (1976) An Introduction to Hausa Grammar. Nigeria,

Longman.

Greenberg, J. (1968) The Languages of Africa. Indiana, Bloomington.

Owens, J. (1993) A Grammar of Nigerian Arabic. Wiesbaden Harrosowdz.

_________(1993b) “Nigerian Arabic in Comparative Perspective” SUGIA 14. pp.

85-177.

_________ (1995) “Minority Language and Urban Noun: A Case Study”.

Linguistics. 33, 105-358.

Radford, A. (1988) Transformational Grammar. Cambridge, Cambridge

University Press.

Appendix

Excerpt from Corpus

(1)-kulli goolit kunni ʃadr(a) kabiir(e) daliile “Every big tree is shady”

adni, anni, ayai

(1)-kulli goolit kunni ʃadr(a) kabiir(e) daliile “Every big tree is shady”

adni, anni, ayai

(2)-usum, ayyit ayyi kabiir sabuur “Every elder is patient”

(3) nadim waahid kubur “Someone grew big”

(4) bit wahde kubur+at “A girl grew up”

(5) naas wahdiin kubr+o “some people grew up”

(6) ban+aat wahd+aat kubr+an “some girls grew up”

(7)-Bagar talata “three cows”

(8)-naas kamsa “five people”

(9)-Talata bagar “three cows”

(10)-xamsa naas five people”

Independent Dependent

(11)-Hiil/hana hintaat (belong, mine) I, (mine)

aa, (hers)

a, (his)

ki, (yours sing. f.)

k, (yours sing. m.)

kan, (yours pl. f.)

ku, (yours pl. m.)

han, (theirs pl. f.)

hum, (their pl. m.)

na, (ours pl. f.)

(12)-albagara (hiil) axu-yi “ The cow belongs to my brother”

(13)-attor (hana) axuuk “ The ox belongs to your brother”

(14)-Albagara di hiil i/ “This cow belongs to ( me. etc)

(15) attor da hanay+i “This ox belongs to me”

(16)-di bagart/a /k/ etc. “ this is (your, his ) cow”

M da daaka this that

F di diike

M doola dulaka These those

F deela delaaka

(18)-ar+rajil da kabiir “this man is big”

(19)-al+mara di kabiir(e) “ this woman is big”

(20)-arrajil daaka alkabiir

(21)-almara diike alkabiire

(22)-Arrajil alkabiir da “this big man”

(23)- Arrajil alkabiir daaka “that big man”

(24)-Toor kabiir billeen “extremely big/tall ox”

(25)-Bagara kabiire) marrawahid “absolutely big/tallcow”

(26)-Toor asfar wak “ an extremely yellow ox

(27)-Albagara bilheen dawiile “extremely tall cow”

(28)-Albagar duwaal bilheen “the cows are extremely tall/big”

(29)-Alkalib foog aʃʃadara “the dog is on/under the tree”

(30)-Alkalb (dala) foog aʃʃadar “the dog climbed the tree”

(31)-Alkalb (gait) tihit aʃʃadara “the dog is sitting under the tree”

(32)-Alkalb gaa’id gaadi fil wadi “ the dog lives in the forest”

(33)-Arrajil dugut maʃa “the man just left”

(34)-Arrajil dugut dugut maʃa “ the man has just now left”