ABSTRACT
TENSE AND ASPECT IN OGBUNIKE IGBO
Igbo language is made up of so many dialects that comprise the Igbo
speaking areas of the country and is marked by certain tense and aspect
just as in every other language of the world, which are used to indicate the
time of events/ actions as well as the duration, inception , continuity and
completion of such events/ action ie (Aspect). These dialects that make up
the Igbo language have their own tense and aspect peculiar to themselves
or are related in one way or the other. In this piece of work, the writer
wishes to investigate and to expose tense and aspect as found in Ogbunike
dialect as one of the Igbo speaking communities ie if there is any tensemarker
and how they are realized. Also to portray how these tense and
aspect relates with the standard Igbo, if there is any similarities or
differences found within.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
The page – – – – – – – – i
Approval page – – – – – – – – ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – – iv
Abstract – – – – – – – – – v
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – vi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction – – – – – – – – 1
1.1 Background of Study – – – – – – – 2
1.2 Statement of Problem – – – – – – 3
1.3 Purpose of Study – – – – – – – 4
1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – – 4
1.5 Research Question – – – – – – – 4
1.6 Scope /Limitation of Study – – – – – – 5
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review – – – – – – – 6
2.1 Theoretical Studies – – – – – – – 6
2.1.1 Tense – – – – – – – – – 7
2.1.2 Aspect – – – – – – – – 9
2.2 Empirical Studies – – – – – – – 11
2.2.1 Igbo Bilingual Grammar Books – – – – – 11
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2.2.2 Igbo Monolingual Grammar Books – – – – 20
2.2.3 Comparative Analysis of Both – – – – – 34
2.3 Summary – – – – – – – – 39
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Tense in Ogbunike – – – – – – – 40
3.1 Future Tense – – – – – – – – 40
3.2 Past Tense – – – – – – – – 43
3.3 Unfulfilled Tense – – – – – – – 46
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Aspect in Ogbunike – – – – – – – 50
4.1 Progressive Aspect – – – – – – – 50
4.2 perfective Aspect – – – – – – – 53
4.3 Stative Aspect – – – – – – – – 56
4.4 Habitual Aspect – – – – – – – 58
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Summary, Findings and conclusions – – – – 61
5.1Summary – – – – – – – – 61
5.2 Findings – – – – – – – – – 61
5.3 Conclusions – – – – – – – – 64
References – – – – – – – – 65
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
All the languages of the world have their own rules that
must be followed by the speakers of such a language. This is
called the grammar of that language. In discussing
grammatical categories certain things that are discussed are
number, gender that points to the Noun, while tense, aspect,
mood etc. point to the verb in a sentence. Tense, points to
the actual time of an event while aspect, points to the
duration of an event as regards to its inception, continuation,
as well as the completion of such an event. All of them point
to the distinctive forms the verb can take to portray these
actions.
This work is set to unfold the 2 grammatical categories
of tense and aspect in Ogbunike Igbo.
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1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The notion of tense and aspect has evoked some
contradicting opinions among some linguists in the past.
Emenajo (1978:167) claims that they interact in some subtle
ways and in practice, is sometimes quite difficult to make.
The term tense is used to denote time reference of events. It
explains the relationship between actions or events and the
actual time they took place, while aspect on the otherhand
shows the function of the verb that defines the duration of
the action of the verb as regards its completion and
continuation.
The notion of tense and aspect seem to be a universal
phenomenon as all languages of the world make use of either
of them or both in distinct forms. The Igbo language also
makes use of both tense and aspect as well. Ogbunike, a
dialect of Igbo language, shows distinctions among events via
the morphological changes in their verb roots. This work
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therefore, hopes to unravel the distinctions between the 2
categories of tense and aspect in Ogbunike Igbo.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
There are varying/ contradictory opinions among the
Igbo linguists as it concerns the categories of tense and
aspect in Igbo language. Some linguists claim that they
interact in a subtle way and in practice sometimes quite
difficult to make, while others clearly identified the categories
separately in Igbo language.
This age long confusion stares us in the face as we delve
into these grammatical categories in Ogbunike dialect.
Secondly, another perceived problem is the dearth of
materials and literatures on Ogbunike dialect, such that, to
the best of my knowledge, not much work on tense and
aspect has been done in the dialect.
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1.3 PURPOSE OF STUDY.
This study is set to achieve the following aims.
(a) To describe tense and aspect in Ogbunike Igbo and
how they are realized.
(b) To draw a distinction between tense and aspect in
Ogbunike Igbo as well as with the Standard Igbo.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
This work would be of immense importance because it
confirms the existence of tense and aspect as grammatical
categories in Ogbunike and to explore their forms, meanings
and distinctions.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In dealing with the topic at hand the following research
questions are vital
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1. In what ways do tense and aspect differ in Ogbunike
Igbo.
2. To what extent are the realizations of tense and aspect
in Ogbunike Igbo similar or otherwise with tense and
aspect in Standard Igbo.
1.6 SCOPE/LIMITATION OF STUDY
As a matter of fact, a work of this nature requires
specification and delimitation. This study therefore, is limited
to the general conception of tense and aspect in Ogbunike
Igbo because of variables of time, space and finance that are
not favorable to us.
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