i CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH AND IJỌ SEGMENTALS AND SUPRASEGMENTALS BY IWOLO, IZUONGERE PG/MA/09/51183 A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS, IGBO AND OTHER NIGERIAN LANGUAGES, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, SEPTEMBER, 2014 ii TITLE PAGE CONTRASTIVE ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH AND IJỌ SEGMENTALS AND SUPRASEGMENTALS by IWOLO, IZUONGERE PG/MA/09/51183 A Dissertation Submitted in the Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian Languages, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Masters of Arts Degree in Linguistics September, 2014 iii APPROVAL PAGE IWOLO, IZUONGERE PG/MA/09/51183, a postgraduate student in the Department of Linguistics, Igbo and Other Nigerian languages, University of Nigeria, Nsukka has satisfactorily completed the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts (M.A.) in Linguistics. This dissertation is original and has not been submitted in any form for any degree in this University or any other University. …………………………………… …………………………………… MR. B. N. ANASIUDU Date (Supervisor) ……………………………... ………………………………... PROF. C. N. OKEBALAMA Date (Head of Department) ……………………………. ………………………………. (External Examiner) Date iv CERTIFICATION PAGE This is to certify that Iwolo Izuongere, a post graduate student of the Department of Linguistics, Igbo and other Nigerian Languages, University of Nigeria, Nsukka with registration number PG/MA/0951183 has satisfactorily completed the requirements for the research work for the award of masters degree in Linguistics (Applied Linguistics). This project work is original and has not been submitted in part or in full for any degree of this or any other institution. ----------------------------- ------------------------------- MR. B. N. ANASIUDU IWOLO IZUONGERE (SUPERVISOR) STUDENT v DEDICATION To God Almighty vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My unalloyed gratitude goes to Mr. B. N. Anasiudu, my kind-hearted supervisor, who not only supervised the work but encouraged me with fatherly love and care; he is indeed my academic father. I am unreservedly and deeply indebted to my father, Barr. Ibeni Iwolo for his encouragement and unconditional financial support in my academic pursuit. I also thank my mother for her fervent payers and moral support to me. I owe my beloved husband an immeasurable gratitude for his care and understanding throughout the period of this study. Prof. and Mrs. C.N. Okebalama also deserve my commendation. I thank the following lecturers of mine for their academic inspiration: Dr. B.M. Mbah, Prof. R.I. Okorji, Dr. C.U. Agbedo, Dr. (Mrs) E.E. Mbah and Dr. (Mrs.) J. O. Uguru. My colleagues: Monday, Benita, Chinwe, Aloy, Ndubuisi, David, Juliet, Tochi and Chinenye deserve commendation. My step-mother, Mrs. Manna Iwolo is also thanked for her encouragement. I want to say a big thank you to my brothers and sisters: Ebinimi, Josephine, Gloria, Ifieyemi and Tarila, God bless you all! vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page i Approval page ii Certification iii Dedication iv Acknowledgments v Table of contents vi Abstract viii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background to the Study 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem 2 1.3 Research Questions 3 1.4 Purpose of the Study 4 1.5 Significance of the Study 4 1.6 Scope of the Study 4 1.7 Limitation of the Study 5 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Theoretical Studies 6 2.2 Empirical Studies 17 2.3 Summary 21 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Area of Study 23 3.2 Research Population 24 3.3 Method of Data Analysis 24 viii CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Presentation of Data 26 4.1.1 English and Ijọ Segmental Phonemes 26 4.1.1.1 English and Ijọ Consonantal Phonemes 26 4.1.1.1.1 English Consonants 27 4.1.1.1.2 Ijọ Consonants 28 4.1.1.2 English and Ijọ Vocalic Phonemes 29 4.1.1.2.1 English Vocalic Phonemes 32 4.1.1.2.2 Ijọ Vocalic Phonemes 33 4.1.2 English and Ijọ Suprasegmental Features 33 4.1.2.1 English Stress and Intonation 34 4.1.2.1.1 Stress 34 4.1.2.1.2 Intonation 35 4.1.2.2 Ijọ Tone 36 4.2 Comparison 38 4.2.1 Analysis of Differences and Similarities between English and Ijọ Consonants 38 4.2.2 Analysis of Differences and Similarities between English and Ijọ Vowels 40 4.2.3 Analysis of Differences and Similarities between English and Ijọ Suprasegmentals 42 CHAPTER FIVE: FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION 5.1 Findings 46 5.2 Conclusion 51 5.3 Recommendation 51 References 53 ix Abstract The aim of this study is to examine the differences and similarities between English and Ijọ segmental phonemes and suprasegmental feature. The study uses contrastive analysis (CA) as its theoretical framework. CA is a good tool to find out difficulties which second language learners may encounter such that predictions are made. The use of this framework is, therefore, borne out of the fact that it facilitates second-language (L2) learning in that the features of learners’ first language (L1) and L2 are succinctly contrasted for a pedagogic purpose. Differences abound between English and Ijọ segmental phonemes and suprasegmental features. These differences notwithstanding, there are a few similarities between their phonemes. It is revealed that such differences are found more between the vocalic phonemes of the two languages than their consonantal phonemes; and their suprasegmental features are totally different from each other. Owing to these differences, it is predicted that Ijọ learners of English find it difficult to learn English phonemes, stress and intonation. However, these learners find it easy to learn areas where there are phonemic similarities between their L1 and the target language. 1 Chapter One 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background to the Study Language is as old as man, and it is inevitable because it is the means through which humans communicate, translate, and transmit ideas into reality. And as such the history of language can be traced as far back as the creation of man on earth. Finnegan (2008:11) opines, “A good many people in all parts of the world share a belief that the origin of language can be traced to the Garden of Eden”. Different scholars have different views on the origin of language. People have different ways of explaining why languages change or differ from one author. The Old Testament relates that before the tower of Babel all men and women spoke the same language and could understand one another. Eventually, human pride provoked God into confounding their communication with mutually unintelligible languages. However, language differences among people can be seen as a penalty for sinful behaviour. Language differences can also be traced to the intermingling of people with different linguistic backgrounds in a particular location. But linguists believe the reason for numerous languages in the world is the natural change over time, the inevitable product of reshaping speech to meet changing social and intellectual needs, reflecting contact with people speaking other languages. When groups move to new places and mix with speakers of different languages, there is an influence because their languages must adapt to new circumstances. The people will be forced to learn each other’s language to achieve a purpose. Such is so glaring in Nigeria when the colonial masters came into the country and introduced English, which is used as an official language today. Pidgin English is as a result of people moving from one place to the other to meet changing social and intellectual needs. It is amazing that, with influences of 2 languages on each other, there are changes which occur. Naturally, there are differences and similarities between languages. The differences are always more than the similarities, but all languages are complete irrespective of the differences. They all perform the same purpose which is communication. Anagbogu, Mbah and Eme (2010:26) ask a question: Does the language of a particular people perform the function they want it to perform? If it does, then it is complete. It is true that when a language performs the purpose which its speakers intend, such a language is complete; no language in the world is seen as superior to the other. It is on this basis that we want to do a contrastive analysis of English and Izon segmentals and supra-segmentals. 1.2 Statement of the Problem The English language was introduced into Nigeria by early European traders, who first visited the country in the 16th century. However, Spencer (1971:79) avers that it is difficult to lay hold on evidence available to picture in any form the nature of African- European contact in a linguistic point of view, but it is clear that it is from the mercantile period that pidgin of West Africa came into existence. In order to trade and later to administer and to teach Nigerians the Christian religion, these early Europeans, specifically the British, literally forced Nigerians to learn the English language. However, the English language has been in Nigeria for decades now but it still poses problems to the ordinary man in Nigeria. Few among millions of Nigerians can speak English fluently. Even with difficulties of the language, Bamgbose (1971:65) opines that it is still the language of government, business, commerce, education, mass media, literature and for internal and external communications. Thus, the language is indispensable to the country. Ijo is a large language group spoken in Rivers state, Bayelsa state, Delta state, Edo state and Ondo state. It is divided into East Ijo and West Ijo. East Ijo comprises Nkoro, 3 Kalabari, Okrika and Ibani all spoken in Rivers state; and Nembe-Akassa spoken in Bayelsa state. Conversely, West Ijo is divided into inland Ijo, on the one hand, and Izon on the other.