The Syntactic Analysis of Empty Categories in Dholuo: A Minimalist Perspective
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Date
2025-02
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
The current study aimed to analyze empty categories in Dholuo through the Minimalist Program. An investigation into empty categories was necessary in appreciating the nature of human language while assessing whether Dholuo reflects the principles of Universal Grammar. The research objectives were: to identify empty categories in Dholuo; to examine the roles of empty categories in Dholuo; and to establish how empty categories are accounted for within the Minimalist Program. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design while focusing on collecting data from a Dholuo text: Poko Nyar Migumba “Poko (noun) the daughter of Migumba (noun)” by Asenath Bole Odaga. The introspection method or native speaker intuition was also used to identify the relevant sentences for analysis. Three competent native speakers of Dholuo were used to corroborate or confirm the authenticity of the sentences. The Minimalist Program was used to explain empty categories in the sentential data. Tree diagrams were used to analyze the sentences. The findings revealed that the PRO exists as an empty category within the infinitival complement clause in Dholuo and that its interpretation depends on the subject of the matrix clause. The NP-trace also exists in Dholuo. As an internal argument or complement, it originates in the post-verbal position for theta marking purposes and then moves higher, leaving behind a trace (an empty category). Moreover, canonical nominal are DPs headed by an overt or null determiner. Concerning the second objective, the PRO is assigned the agent role because its antecedent, the overt subject of the matrix clause, bears the same semantic role. NP-traces are assigned roles such as the agent, the theme and the experiencer. The WH-trace is assigned the semantic role of theme by the verb, a role it retains even after moving. In the third objective relating to how empty categories in Dholuo can be counted for within the Minimalist Program, it emerged that these categories begin in-situ or in base positions where they merge with others to receive a theta role before they move for purposes of feature checking. The syntactic operations of MERGE and MOVE were therefore evident in Dholuo. The study contributes to the existing data on empty categories in general and in African languages in particular. More research should be conducted to compare empty categories in Dholuo with those in similar families of languages.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts of Kenyatta University, February 2025.
Supervisor
Phyllis Mwangi