A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF WH-QUESTION IN MÀRGi
1 Kayjah International School, Abuja
2 Department of Languages and Linguistics Nasarawa State University, Keff
3 Department of Languages and Linguistics Nasarawa State
* Corresponding author: hannatugadzama@gmail.com
2 Department of Languages and Linguistics Nasarawa State University, Keff
3 Department of Languages and Linguistics Nasarawa State
* Corresponding author: hannatugadzama@gmail.com
Abstract
This study examines Wh-questions in Màrg?. Màrg?
belongs to Afro-Asiatic under the sub-familyof the
Chadic language and it is spoken in Nigeria and
Cameroon. The study which is a syntactic analysis of the
Màrg?wh-questions is essential in view of the role that
questions play in the language. The data for this study
were collected using interview, checklist and Màr?
language books such as the Màrg?Bible, Hoffman (1963),
Dlibugunaya (1989, 1999, 2004) and Tranel (1992/94).
The descriptive method of analysis was adopted in
analyzing the collected data. The analysis of the data
shows that, there are two types of wh-questions in Màrg?
language which are the simple and the complex whquestions. It has been revealed that wh-questions are
formed in this language through the use of wh-question
markers such as wà 'who', m?'what', úmár?'where', látúmàr? 'when', àbár? 'how', màr? 'which' and wàn 'whom'.
In the formation of the simple wh-question, the question
markers can be moved from the object position in anonecho question to the spec position or before the auxiliary
verb. In the formation of the complex wh- question, the
Màrg?language exhibits pied-piping as its features as the
wh-operator always move with the head of the phrase.
This kind of movement is only permitted in the language
within the embedded clause but not outside the clause.
The study has uncovered the idiosyncrasy of Margi
question formation processes and has also made its
contribution to the on-going research on endangered
languages in Nigeria, and the linguistic literature.
Keywords
Descriptive study
Margi language
movement
Wh-question and syntactic analysis
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How to Cite
GADZAMA, H. M., IMOH, P. M., & UMARU, Y. J. (2021). A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF WH-QUESTION IN MÀRGi. Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, 12(1), 19-29. https://doi.org/10.67862/hjjgs.2021.7e1lx9cg
H. M. GADZAMA, P. M. IMOH, and Y. J. UMARU, "A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF WH-QUESTION IN MÀRGi," Humanity - Jos Journal Of General Studies, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 19-29, January 2021. doi: 10.67862/hjjgs.2021.7e1lx9cg
