Morphology and syntax of Dagbani proverbial names

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the morphosyntax of proverbial names in Dagbani (Gur, Ghana). It demonstrates that these proverb-based names can comprise of 1. single morphemes, Nasara,‘victory’, 2. two morphemes, Neesim‘lights’. The third group consists of phrases and sentences with other grammatical particles fused in the sentences to form those name sets. I argue that the morphology provides the template for syntax to apply in this name formation. The data for this paper are from three sources: the author's knowledge as a native speaker of the language and those drawn from existing Dagbani literature on personal names. I also interviewed three parents to take some data for this paper. Phonological processes such as homorganic nasal assimilation n+baŋ+ba/ḿ.báŋ̀.bá/,‘I have known them’, vowel epenthesis and deletion bɛ+neei+ti/bɛneeti/‘they have woken us (from sleep) apply phonotactically in the formation of these proverb-based names. The findings showed that there is an interwoven relationship between morphology, syntax and phonology in the formation of proverbial names.