Abstract
The study investigated the Kamuə female personal names as socio-cultural identity of the Kamuə people using the anthroponomastic framework. Sampling of about 72 participants and 12 domiciles of elders is interviewed from 12 villages to collect data for the study. The study was able to identify various types of female personal names of the Kamuə people to include birth order names, female twins names, circumstantial Kamuə female names and the Kamuə maiden personal names. In addition, they are mostly sentential and proverbial in nature except for the birth order names. They display the historical and socio-cultural identity of the Kamuə people and the Kamuə language.
Highlights
The present study of names is considered from the African perspective especially that of the Kamuǝ people as they value their culture, language and communication as expressed in their naming patterns
Onomastics is a branch of semantics that studies the etymology of names (Crystal, 1997; Al-Zumor, 2009), while anthroponomastics is its branch which deals with the study of personal names
The Kamuǝ female personal names are names given to the bearers by the parents in the case of newborn babies and father-in-law or mother-in-law in the case of the maiden names
Summary
The present study of names is considered from the African perspective especially that of the Kamuǝ people as they value their culture, language and communication as expressed in their naming patterns. Name in most cases is often used to refer a term which people use to refer to anything, either animate or inanimate. They are used to identify persons, places or things, and are regarded as historical witnesses as well as cultural artefacts. They are popularly known and referred to as Higgi, both the people and the language as well It has about eight (8) dialects: Nkaffa, the central dialect, Dakwa, Sena, Ghye (Zah), WulaFutu, Tili Pte, Kapsiki (Ptseke) in Cameroun and Falikiria (Barrett et al, 2001; Samaila, 2004; Osaji, 1979). The Kamuə people employ various strategies to promote indigenous female personal names. It is highly valued considering its significance to them. Africans “idiomatically and idiosyncratically celebrate their gift of a child in the traditional way through naming” (Mashiri, Chabata, & Chitando, 2013)
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