Nominalization

Nominalization

Introduction to Nominalization

Nominalizations appear to be a rather important element of Igala grammar. As seen in sentences like the following, a nominalized form must follow the particle tʃē (most often used as a copula or focus/emphasis marker).

(1)

Otʃa̋lā	tʃē	é	mâ
O᷄tʃálā	tʃē	é	mà
Ochala	do	NMLZ	know
‘Ochala knew.’

Nominalizaing ‘é’

Though ‘é’ has thus far been the most common nominalizer, Ejeba’s grammar points out that there are a variety of different nominalizers, all of which are vowels which are prefixed before the verb.

So far, the three nominalizers Yuzhou and David have looked at are ‘é’, ‘á’ and ‘à’

The first nominalizer ‘é’ seems to create a nominalized form resembling something of a verbal noun, or an infinitive in usage. When we have asked our language consultant how to say a verb (in isolation), they often try to include this ‘é’ with it.

(2)

Ɔ́mē	é	bí
ɔ́mā	é	bí
child	NMLZ	bear
To bear children

(3)

E̋	ka̋	dūfù
é	kà	dūfù
NMLZ	say	out
To say it out/Saying it out

(4)

E̋	ma41
é	mà
NMLZ	know
‘To know’

(5)

O24tʃa̋lā	ɹē	é	mâ
O᷄tʃálā	ɹō	é	mà
Ochala	begin	NMLZ	know
‘Ochala started knowing’

As in 2) ‘ɔ́mā é bí’, we see that that the object of the verb can be fronted before the nominalizer.

Though the ‘é’ is often dropped in fluent speech due to Igala resistance to hiatus, it can be perceived by the contour tones it leaves on the previous syllable (2), (5).

Nominalizaing ‘á’

The nominalizer ‘á’ is more like Ejeba says an ‘agent’ nominalizer, functioning similarly to the -er suffix in English.

(6)

A̋	ka̋	dūfù	lɛ́
á	kà	dūfù	lɛ́
-er	say	out	DIST
The announcer

(7)

Á	bí	ɔ́mā
Á	bí	ɔ́mā
-er	bear	child
The bearer of children

(8)

á	mâ
á	mà
-er	know
One who knows

(9)

Á	m	ɛ̄ŋʷū
á	mà	ɛ́ŋʷū
-er	know	3SG.dat
‘Someone who knows for him, someone who is considerate of that person, some who is mindful for them’

Comparison between 'e' and 'a'

These two nominalizers are phonologically interesting because it appears that they spread their tones forwards to the next TBU of the verb that it nominalizes.

When there is only one TBU (tone bearing unint) as in examples (4) and (8) with the verb ‘mà’ – ‘know’, this creates a contour tone, however if there are more TBUs, the high tone pushes the other tones as in (3), (6) (call out - kà dūfù.) and (9) where (ŋʷú Dat.) becomes a mid tone from tonal sandhi from mà’s underlying low tone

Particularly in the case of the ‘á’ nominalizer it is imperative to recognize this tone spreading phenomenon because it is the only phonological way to distinguish this ‘á’ from the imperfective ‘á’ which does not spread.

Compare

(10)

O24tʃa̋lā	á	mà
O᷄chálā	á	mà
Ochala	IPFV	know
‘Ochala will know’/Ochala is knowing

(11)

i̋mɔ̄tɔ́	ɔ́nɛ̄kɛ̀lɛ̄	lɛ̋	li̋	a̋	ma̋	lɛ́
ímɔ̄tɔ̄	ɔ́nɛ̄kɛ̀lɛ̄	lɛ́	lí	á	mà	lɛ́
Child	man	DIST	see	-er	know DET.DIST
‘The boy saw the one who knows.’

(here the low tone from ma is pushed on to the distil demonstrative lɛ́ creating a mid tone)

Compare

(12)

O24tʃálā	á	kà	dūfù
O᷄chálā	á	kà	dūfù
Ochala	IPFV	say	out
Ochala is saying/will say it out

(13a)

i̋mɔ̄tɔ́	ɔ́nɛ̄kɛ̀lɛ̄	lɛ̋	li̋	a̋	ka̋	dūfù	lɛ́
Ímɔ̄tɔ́	ɔ́nɛ̄kɛ̀lɛ̄	lɛ́	lí	á	kà	dūfù	lɛ́
Child	man	DET	see	-er	say	out	DET
The boy saw (*sees) the announcer

(13b)

i̋mɔ̄tɔ́	ɔ́nɛ̄kɛ̀lɛ̄	lɛ̋	mā	ā	kà	dūfù	lɛ́
Ímɔ̄tɔ́	ɔ́nɛ̄kɛ̀lɛ̄	lɛ́	mà	á	kà	dūfù	lɛ́
Child	man	DET	know	-er	say	out	DET
The boy knows (*knew) the announcer