A Phonological Analysis of Nouns Borrowed by Fulfulde from Hausa

Abstract

This study is an aspect of the phonological analysis of words borrowed by Fulfulde from Hausa. The main objective of this research is: to identify the phonological features of words borrowed from Hausa; This study employs a qualitative research method, the research respondents are selected from the students of Fulfulde Department, Federal College of Education, Yola. The analysis reveals that Fulfulde employs strategies in adopting Hausa loanwords: vowel lengthening, consonant and vowel deletion, and insertion. The study finds that: Hausa /z/ changes to [ʤ] and /ʃ/ to [s] following the absence of the corresponding Hausa sounds in the consonant inventory of the Fulfulde dialects under investigation. Similarly, because oral stops are prenasalised in Fulfulde, sounds such as /b/, /d/ and /ɡ/ become [mb], [nd], and [ɳɡ] respectively. The findings of the research have implications for the expansion and growth of the language as the research discusses phonological modifications which loanwords undergo to help the language develop its vocabulary.