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YOR421

Issues in the Syntax of Yoruba

  • Arts
  • 400 level
  • 2 credit units
  • 73 pages
  • 1 units

This course delves into current and relevant issues in Yoruba syntax, focusing on areas of ongoing debate and research. It explores topics such as focus construction, ideophones, nominalization, and genitive constructions. Students will analyze different theoretical perspectives, evaluate arguments, and develop their own informed opinions on these complex linguistic phenomena. The course aims to enhance students' understanding of Yoruba grammar and critical thinking skills in linguistic analysis.

About this course

Difficulty
Intermediate
Study hours
60 hours
Maths
None
Content
Theoretical, case study, problem solving
Practical work
No
Before you start
  • YOR224
How it is assessed
  • Assignments
  • Tutor Marked Assessments
  • Final Examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of YOR421, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

YOR421 · YOR421

A consideration of the current and relevant issues in the syntax of Yoruba (e.g, focus construction; ideophones, nominalization; genitive constructions these two topics could be included also: the status of Ó – is it a pronoun (3rd person sg pronoun) or a high toned syllable HTS).

What you should be able to do

  1. Identify and analyze issues in Yoruba syntax.
  2. Understand the structure and function of ideophones.
  3. Explain the formation and types of nominalizations.
  4. Analyze different types of relative clauses.
  5. Evaluate theoretical perspectives on focus construction.

What it prepares you for

Careers
  • Linguist
  • Translator
  • Yoruba Language Teacher
  • Lexicographer
  • Content Creator (Yoruba)
Where it is applied
  • Education
  • Translation Services
  • Publishing
  • Media and Journalism
  • Cultural Preservation

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

  • Module 1: Ìsọdorúkọ àti Idíófóònù

    Unit 5: Ìhun idíófóònù àti òté tí ó dè é

    Understanding the nuances of vowel and consonant patterns in ideophones requires careful attention to phonetic details and their semantic implications.

  • Module 3: Èhun àkíyèsí alát ̣ ẹnumọ́ àti àpólà-orúkọ agérí

    Unit 3: Èrò tó ṣègbè le ̣ ́yìn ìhun àkíyèsí alátẹnumó ge ̣ ̣ ́ge ̣ ́ bí àpólà-orúkọ

    Requires understanding of different theoretical perspectives and the ability to evaluate complex syntactic arguments.

  • Module 3: Èhun àkíyèsí alát ̣ ẹnumọ́ àti àpólà-orúkọ agérí

    Unit 4: Èrò tó ṣègbè le ̣ ́yìn ìhun àkíyèsí alátẹnumó ge ̣ ̣ ́ge ̣ ́ bí gbólóhùn

    Requires understanding of different theoretical perspectives and the ability to evaluate complex syntactic arguments.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 46 hours in total. Yours will differ.

  1. Week 1Module 1: Ìsọdorúkọ àti Idíófóònù
    • Unit 1: Ìṣe ̣̀dá ọ̀ro ̣̀-orúkọ nípa àmúlò àfòmọ́wájú/àfòmo ̣ ́ ìbe ̣ ̀re ̣̀ · 2 hours

      Read the introduction to nominalization and ideophones.. Understand the different ways Yoruba creates new noun-words.. Identify the grammatical category of ideophones in Yoruba..

    • Unit 2: Àfòmo ̣ ́-àsopọ̀ · 2 hours

      Study the different types of prefixes used in Yoruba.. Analyze the use of vowel prefixes and their semantic contributions.. Examine the constraints on using prefixes in Yoruba word formation..

  2. Week 2Module 1: Ìsọdorúkọ àti Idíófóònù
    • Unit 3: Ìṣe ̣ ̀dá o ̣ ̀ro ̣ ̀-orúkọ nípa àpètúnpè · 2 hours

      Understand the process of reduplication in Yoruba word formation.. Identify different types of reduplication: full and partial.. Analyze the semantic changes that occur through reduplication..

    • Unit 4: Òrọ̀-orúkọ kíkànpọ̀ àti fífi ìlò sọ gbólóhùn di ọ̀rọ̀ orúkọ · 2 hours

      Learn about compounding as a method of creating new nouns.. Study the combination of different word classes to form compound nouns.. Analyze how phrases are converted into nouns in Yoruba..

  3. Week 3Module 1: Ìsọdorúkọ àti Idíófóònù
    • Unit 5: Ìhun idíófóònù àti òté tí ó dè é · 3 hours

      Study the structure and patterns of ideophones.. Analyze vowel patterns in ideophones.. Examine tone patterns in ideophones..

  4. Week 4Module 2: Àpólà-orúkọ oníbàátan
    • Unit 1: Oríṣiríṣi àpólà-orúkọ oníbàátan · 3 hours

      Identify different types of relative clauses in Yoruba.. Distinguish between possessive, demonstrative, and quantitative relative clauses.. Analyze separable and non-separable relative clauses..

  5. Week 5Module 2: Àpólà-orúkọ oníbàátan
    • Unit 2: Ìhun àpólà-orúkọ oníbàátan · 3 hours

      Study the structure of relative clauses.. Understand the components of a relative clause.. Analyze the relationship between the head noun and the relative clause..

  6. Week 6Module 2: Àpólà-orúkọ oníbàátan
    • Unit 3: Ìtúpale ̣̀ àti àlàyé àwọn àpólà orúkọ oníbàátan · 3 hours

      Analyze and explain different types of relative clauses.. Compare and contrast possessive, demonstrative, and quantitative relative clauses.. Examine the similarities and differences between vowel morphemes and 'ti'..

  7. Week 7Module 2: Àpólà-orúkọ oníbàátan
    • Unit 4: E ̣ ̣̀rí àtakò àti e ̣ ̀rí ìṣègbèle ̣ ́yìn pé àpólà orúkọ oníbàátan wà · 3 hours

      Examine arguments against the existence of relative clauses.. Analyze arguments supporting the existence of relative clauses.. Understand the structure of relative clauses in Yoruba..

    • Unit 5: · 2 hours

      Synthesize the information learned about relative clauses.. Review the key concepts and arguments.. Prepare for the next module on focus construction..

  8. Week 8Module 3: Èhun àkíyèsí alát ̣ ẹnumọ́ àti àpólà-orúkọ agérí
    • Unit 1: Àlàyé e ̣ ̀hun àkíyèsí alátẹnumọ · 2 hours

      Define focus construction and its purpose.. Identify focus constructions with subject noun phrases.. Analyze focus constructions with direct object noun phrases..

    • Unit 2: Àwọn fọ́nrán tí a kò lè ṣe àkíyèsí alátẹnumo ̣ ́ fún · 2 hours

      Analyze focus constructions with verb phrases.. Identify focus constructions with adjuncts.. Examine focus constructions with adjectival phrases..

  9. Week 9Module 3: Èhun àkíyèsí alát ̣ ẹnumọ́ àti àpólà-orúkọ agérí
    • Unit 3: Èrò tó ṣègbè le ̣ ́yìn ìhun àkíyèsí alátẹnumó ge ̣ ̣ ́ge ̣ ́ bí àpólà-orúkọ · 3 hours

      Study arguments supporting the noun phrase analysis of focus construction.. Analyze the evidence for treating focus constructions as noun phrases.. Understand the implications of this analysis for Yoruba syntax..

  10. Week 10Module 3: Èhun àkíyèsí alát ̣ ẹnumọ́ àti àpólà-orúkọ agérí
    • Unit 4: Èrò tó ṣègbè le ̣ ́yìn ìhun àkíyèsí alátẹnumó ge ̣ ̣ ́ge ̣ ́ bí gbólóhùn · 3 hours

      Study arguments supporting the sentence analysis of focus construction.. Analyze the evidence for treating focus constructions as sentences.. Understand the implications of this analysis for Yoruba syntax..

  11. Week 11Module 3: Èhun àkíyèsí alát ̣ ẹnumọ́ àti àpólà-orúkọ agérí
    • Unit 5: Àpólà-orúkọ Agérí · 3 hours

      Define reduced noun phrases and their characteristics.. Analyze the structure of reduced noun phrases.. Understand the function of 'ti' in reduced noun phrases..

  12. Week 12Final Revision
    • Final Revision · 4 hours

      Review all modules and units.. Focus on key concepts and areas of difficulty.. Prepare for assignments and tutor-marked assessments..

  13. Week 13Final Revision
    • Final Revision · 4 hours

      Complete all assignments and tutor-marked assessments.. Seek clarification on any remaining doubts.. Practice with sample exam questions..

Preparing for the exam

What to do
  • Create detailed notes summarizing key concepts from each unit.
  • Practice identifying and analyzing syntactic structures in Yoruba texts.
  • Review the different theoretical perspectives on focus construction and be prepared to compare and contrast them.
  • Focus on understanding the nuances of ideophones and their role in Yoruba expression.
  • Practice translating sentences with complex syntactic structures.
  • Create flashcards for key vocabulary and grammatical terms.
  • Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and address any areas where you struggled.
  • Allocate specific study time for each module and unit based on its complexity.
  • Form a study group to discuss challenging concepts and practice problem-solving.

Questions students ask about this course

What is YOR421 about?

This course delves into current and relevant issues in Yoruba syntax, focusing on areas of ongoing debate and research. It explores topics such as focus construction, ideophones, nominalization, and genitive constructions. Students will analyze different theoretical perspectives, evaluate arguments, and develop their own informed opinions on these complex linguistic phenomena. The course aims to enhance students' understanding of Yoruba grammar and critical thinking skills in linguistic analysis.

How many units does YOR421 have?

YOR421, Issues in the Syntax of Yoruba, has 1 unit across 1 module, over 73 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is YOR421?

YOR421 carries 2 credit units, at 400 level in Arts.

Is YOR421 hard?

YOR421 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, case study and problem solving work.

How long does YOR421 take to study?

About 60 hours of study, spread across its 1 units.

How is YOR421 assessed?

YOR421 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assessments and Final Examination.

What do I need before starting YOR421?

YOR224

What can I do with YOR421?

Linguist, Translator, Yoruba Language Teacher, Lexicographer and Content Creator (Yoruba).

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