A constraint-Based analysis of english loanwords in Yoruba

Abstract

Vowel insertion has generated several controversies in the adaptation of English loanwords in Yoruba within the rule based framework. The rules usually postulated still remain inadequate to account for this process, either to break conconant clusters or open closed syllables of the loanwords in Yoruba. In respect of this, this study attempts to employ a constraint-based model to modelto address those issues, using Optimality Theory (OT) as theoretical framework. OT is a model which employs constraints instead of rules and selects candidates that are prefered by language. For the purpose of this study, six constraints are selected, namely: *CODA, *COMPLEX, UNIFORMITY, MAX-I, O, DEP-I,O and *SUBST. The data usedfor the study were obtained principally via introspective method since the researchers are native speakers of Yoruba and a second language speaker of English. This method was complemented by observations in various domains in which English loanwords are modified in Yoruba by virtue of ranking constraints *CODA and *COMPLEX higher, and ranking constraints DEP-I,O and *SUBST lower. Thus, the actual output forms (i.e. the optimal candidates) among the competing candidates are those that strictly obey the highly ranked constraints, not withstanding their violation of the loely ranked ones. The study concludes by recommending that the application of OT be extended to other areas of the language such as Yoruba morpho-phonology, morpho-syntax, phono-syntax, syntax, as well as language acquisition.