Grammatical constraints on verb phrases in Twi/English code switching
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4314/gjl.v1i1.50Keywords:
grammatical constraints, verb phrases, code-switchingAbstract
Studies have shown that items from the languages that participate in code switching (henceforth CS) do not occur at random. Rather they are guided by the grammatical rules of the languages involved. Verbs that participate in Twi/English CS also do not occur at random. They are constrained by the grammatical rules of both Twi and English. Twi is a dialect of Akan, the most widely spoken language in Ghana. Using the Matrix Language Frame (MLF) model of Myers-Scotton (1993a), this work shows that Twi is the matrix language (ML) and English, the embedded language (EL) in Twi/English CS. Based on this, the work discusses the morphological and phonological constraints on English verbs in Twi/English CS. It also shows how English verbs are only allowed in syntactic structures that already exist in Twi. The discussion covers the constraints of Twi tense and aspect on English verbs, and serial verb construction (SVC).Finally, the work looks at English verbs that may not participate in Twi/English CS. All these are discussed to show how the MLF model is applicable to Twi/English CS.References
Amuzu, E.K. (1998). Aspects of Grammatical Structure in Ewe-English Codeswitching. M. Phil Thesis. Oslo: University of Oslo
Amuzu, E.K. (2005) Ewe-English Codeswitching: A case of Composite rather than Classic Codeswitching. Ph.D dissertation, Australian: Australian National University.
Amuzu, E.K. (2006). Language maintenance in pervasive codeswitching: insights from Ghana. Language Centre Journal 2: 35-66.
Amuzu, E.K. (forthcoming). Mechanisms of L1 maintenance in Ewe-English codeswitching Journal of West African Languages.
Belazi, H.M., E.J. Rubin and A.J. Toribo, (1991). Code-switching, X-bar theory, and processing. A paper presented at the XII Symposium on Spanish and Portuguese Bilingualism, Florida InternationalUniversity, Miami, Florida.
Belazi, H.M., E.J. Rubin and A.J. Toribo, (1994). Code switching and X-bar theory: The Functional Head Constraint. Linguistic Inquiry, 25.2: 221-237
Bentahila, A. and E.E. Davies (1982).The syntax of Arabic-French code-switching.Lingua 59: 301-330. North-Holland Publishing Company.
Boadi, L.A. (2005). Three Major Syntactic Structures in Akan. Accra: Black Mask Ltd.
Dolphyne, A.F. (1996). A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante). Accra: Ghana Universities Press
Dolphyne, A.F. (1988). The Akan (Twi-Fante) Language: Its Sound System and Tonal Structure. Accra: Ghana Universities Press.
Forson, B. (1979). Code-switching in Akan-English Bilingualism. PhD Thesis California: University of California
Forson, B. (1988). Code-switching, our third tongue. Universitas 10: 180- 194.
Ghana Statistical Service (2002).2000 Population and Housing Census. Accra: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
Ghanaian Times (2008) Dealing with the ‘Akan English’ phenomenon. Editorial. Accra: New Times Corporation. July 10.
Halmari, H. (1997). Government and Codeswitching. Explaining America Finnish. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Kachru, B.B., ed., (1983), The other tongue: English across cultures. English Today 1.43.
Labov, W. (1972). Sociolinguistic Patterns. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Myers-Scotton, C. (1992) Constructing the frame in intrasentential codeswitching. Multilingua, 11: 101-27
Myers-Scotton, C. (1993a) Duelling Languages: Grammatical Structure in Code-switching. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Myers-Scotton, C. (2002). Contact Linguistics. Bilingual Encounters and Grammatical Outcomes. Oxford University Press.
Myers-Scotton, C. and J. Jake, (2001). Explaining aspects of codeswitching and their implications. In Janet Nicol (ed.), One Mind, Two Languages: Bilingual Processing. Pp. 84-116. Oxford: Blackwell.
Nartey, J. (1982). Codeswitching, interference or faddism? Language use among educated Ghanaians. Anthropological Linguistics 24.2: 183- 192.
Obeng Gyasi, S. (1997). An analysis of the linguistic situation in Ghana. African Languages and Cultures 10:63-81.
Osam, E.K. (2004). The Trondheim Lectures. An Introduction to the Structure of Akan: Its Verbal and Multiverbal Systems. Accra: Dept. of Linguistics, University of Ghana.
Poplack, S. (1980). Sometimes I’ll start a sentence in Spanish Y TERMINO EN ESPANOL: toward a typology of code switching. Linguistics 18: 581-618.
Poplack, S and D. Sankoff (1984) Borrowing: the synchrony of integration. Linguistics 22: 99-136.
Poplack et al. (1989).Distinguishing language contact phenomena: evidence from Finnish- English bilingualism. In K. Hyltenstam, and L.K. Obler, (ed), Bilingualism across the Lifespan: Aspects of acquisition, maturity, and loss. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 132-154.
Timm, L.A. (1975). Spanish-English code-switching: El porqué y how-not-to. Romance Philology 28.4: 473-482.
Amuzu, E.K. (2005) Ewe-English Codeswitching: A case of Composite rather than Classic Codeswitching. Ph.D dissertation, Australian: Australian National University.
Amuzu, E.K. (2006). Language maintenance in pervasive codeswitching: insights from Ghana. Language Centre Journal 2: 35-66.
Amuzu, E.K. (forthcoming). Mechanisms of L1 maintenance in Ewe-English codeswitching Journal of West African Languages.
Belazi, H.M., E.J. Rubin and A.J. Toribo, (1991). Code-switching, X-bar theory, and processing. A paper presented at the XII Symposium on Spanish and Portuguese Bilingualism, Florida InternationalUniversity, Miami, Florida.
Belazi, H.M., E.J. Rubin and A.J. Toribo, (1994). Code switching and X-bar theory: The Functional Head Constraint. Linguistic Inquiry, 25.2: 221-237
Bentahila, A. and E.E. Davies (1982).The syntax of Arabic-French code-switching.Lingua 59: 301-330. North-Holland Publishing Company.
Boadi, L.A. (2005). Three Major Syntactic Structures in Akan. Accra: Black Mask Ltd.
Dolphyne, A.F. (1996). A Comprehensive Course in Twi (Asante). Accra: Ghana Universities Press
Dolphyne, A.F. (1988). The Akan (Twi-Fante) Language: Its Sound System and Tonal Structure. Accra: Ghana Universities Press.
Forson, B. (1979). Code-switching in Akan-English Bilingualism. PhD Thesis California: University of California
Forson, B. (1988). Code-switching, our third tongue. Universitas 10: 180- 194.
Ghana Statistical Service (2002).2000 Population and Housing Census. Accra: Ghana Publishing Corporation.
Ghanaian Times (2008) Dealing with the ‘Akan English’ phenomenon. Editorial. Accra: New Times Corporation. July 10.
Halmari, H. (1997). Government and Codeswitching. Explaining America Finnish. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.
Kachru, B.B., ed., (1983), The other tongue: English across cultures. English Today 1.43.
Labov, W. (1972). Sociolinguistic Patterns. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Myers-Scotton, C. (1992) Constructing the frame in intrasentential codeswitching. Multilingua, 11: 101-27
Myers-Scotton, C. (1993a) Duelling Languages: Grammatical Structure in Code-switching. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Myers-Scotton, C. (2002). Contact Linguistics. Bilingual Encounters and Grammatical Outcomes. Oxford University Press.
Myers-Scotton, C. and J. Jake, (2001). Explaining aspects of codeswitching and their implications. In Janet Nicol (ed.), One Mind, Two Languages: Bilingual Processing. Pp. 84-116. Oxford: Blackwell.
Nartey, J. (1982). Codeswitching, interference or faddism? Language use among educated Ghanaians. Anthropological Linguistics 24.2: 183- 192.
Obeng Gyasi, S. (1997). An analysis of the linguistic situation in Ghana. African Languages and Cultures 10:63-81.
Osam, E.K. (2004). The Trondheim Lectures. An Introduction to the Structure of Akan: Its Verbal and Multiverbal Systems. Accra: Dept. of Linguistics, University of Ghana.
Poplack, S. (1980). Sometimes I’ll start a sentence in Spanish Y TERMINO EN ESPANOL: toward a typology of code switching. Linguistics 18: 581-618.
Poplack, S and D. Sankoff (1984) Borrowing: the synchrony of integration. Linguistics 22: 99-136.
Poplack et al. (1989).Distinguishing language contact phenomena: evidence from Finnish- English bilingualism. In K. Hyltenstam, and L.K. Obler, (ed), Bilingualism across the Lifespan: Aspects of acquisition, maturity, and loss. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. 132-154.
Timm, L.A. (1975). Spanish-English code-switching: El porqué y how-not-to. Romance Philology 28.4: 473-482.
Downloads
Published
07/01/2012
How to Cite
Quarcoo, M. A. (2012). Grammatical constraints on verb phrases in Twi/English code switching. Ghana Journal of Linguistics, 1(1), 57–80. https://doi.org/10.4314/gjl.v1i1.50
Issue
Section
Articles
License
The Ghana Journal of Linguistics is published by the Linguistics Association of Ghana, P. O. Box LG 61, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
LAG Email: linguisticsgh@gmail.com. Website: http://www.laghana.org
GJL Email: gjl@laghana.org Website: http://www.laghana.org/gjl
© Linguistics Association of Ghana and individual authors, 2023.
