Diachronic Study of Phonological Changes in Tiv Language

Terfa Aor,Torkuma Tyonande Damkor

doi:10.34256/ijll2111

Abstract

All levels of language analysis are prone to changes in their phonology, morphology, graphology, lexis, semantics and syntax over the years. Tiv language is not an exception to this claim. This study investigates various aspects of phonological or sound changes in Tiv language. This paper therefore classifies sound changes in Tiv; states causes of sound changes in Tiv and explores implications of sound changes. The research design used in this paper is purposive sampling of relevant data. The instrument used in this paper is the observation method in which the author selected words that showed epenthesis, deletion and substitution. It has been noted that the use of archaic spellings in the Modern Tiv literatures shows their ancientness. Phonological change is not a deviation but a sign of language growth and changes in spellings result in changes in sounds. The author recommends that scholars should write papers or critical works on lexical/morphological, syntactic, semantic, graphological changes in Tiv language. Students should write projects, dissertations and theses on language change and diachronic linguistics. This study introduces Tiv historical linguistics and diachronic phonology which serve as catalysts for the study of Tiv language. The understanding of Tiv sound change provides students with a much better understanding of Tiv phonological system in general, of how Tiv phonology works and how the phonemes fit together

Highlights

Tiv, a major language that is spoken in Benue State of Nigeria, has tripartite connotations: the language itself is called Tiv Language; the tribe is named a Tiv tribe and the progenitor of the Tiv race – ancestral father
All levels of language analysis are prone to changes in their phonology, morphology, graphology, lexis, semantics and syntax over the years
This study introduces Tiv historical linguistics and diachronic phonology which serve as catalysts for the study of Tiv language

Summary

Introduction

A major language that is spoken in Benue State of Nigeria, has tripartite connotations: the language itself is called Tiv Language; the tribe is named a Tiv tribe and the progenitor of the Tiv race – ancestral father. It is very cumbersome to categorically state the evolutionary changes that Tiv language had gone This uncertainty stemmed from the fact that there is paucity of research or critical works on diachronic or historical linguistics and language change in Tiv. The revised edition of the Icighan Bibilo (2017) provided some of the changes that Tiv language had evolved. For the ease of understanding this paper, there are two concepts that need to be reviewed These concepts include diachronic or historical linguistics and phonological or sound changes. The author sees phonological change as an alteration from the segmental and suprasegmental features of any given phonology These alterations may be as a result of elision, epenthesis, metathesis and substitution of sounds to the words that did not have such sound segments.

Literary Survey

Problem Statement

Research Methodology

Data Analysis and Presentation

Research Implications

Conclusion