CONSTRAINTS ON IGBO COMPLEMENTISERS
Authors: Chinyere B. Onyemaechi, Onyedikachi C. Orji
Publication Details
Published: July 16, 2025
Reference: Volume 9, Issue 1
Abstract
The paper discusses complementiser constraints in the Igbo language. Complementisers are functional heads of complement clauses. They are mainly grammaticalised conjunctions. The study aims to examine some of the syntactic constraints which guide the operations of complementisers in the Igbo language. Specifically, Unit movement constraint (UMC), Comp-Island constraint CIC, phrase impenetrability and strong crossover effect were analysed to ascertain the extent to which they apply to the Igbo language. The theoretical principles of Government and binding theory of Chomsky was used to analyse data generated through introspection and materials from internet and library. The complementiser constraints identified in Igbo include: Unit movement constraint, (UMC), Comp-Island constraint (CIC), Upward boundedness condition, strong cross over effect, phrase impenetrable principle and islands. The complementisers na and si were discovered to be related because both can be glossed as that and can occupy the same syntactic position as heads of complement clause, They differ because while na can be moved to specifier position at sentence initial position, sị cannot undergo such movement. Also, whenever the two find themselves in the same syntactic structure with embedded complement clause in the Igbo language, sị naturally assumes a higher position of finite verb through argument promotion while na becomes demoted as the functional head of the embedded complement clause.
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How to Cite
Chinyere B. Onyemaechi, Onyedikachi C. Orji. (2025). CONSTRAINTS ON IGBO COMPLEMENTISERS. ABIA JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES , Volume 9 (1) .