Lexico-grammatical Analysis of AdaOkere Agbasimalo’s The Forest Dames

Goodluck C. Kadiri, Asadu Emmanuela Uzoma, Joekin Ekwueme

Abstract


The importance of language in literary discourse can never be over-emphasized. Halliday and Matthiessen (2014), in broad terms, contend that language is used to carry out interpersonal functions in speech and writing. Hence, literary writers use language creatively to communicate their intended messages to their readers. This study, therefore, explores the lexico-grammatical assessment of AdaOkere Agbasimalo’s The Forest Dames. The study aimed at identifying the prevalent linguistic tools deployed in the novel by the author, as a style index, for plot and theme developments. Also, to discuss logically how these tools contribute to project meanings in the novel. The study adopts Leech and Short’s checklist of linguistic and stylistic categories as its analytical tool. Data were extracted randomly from the novel and analyzed qualitatively at levels of lexis and structure using the checklist. The findings revealed that the authors deployed more of the major parts of speech; military registers; code mixing and switching and pidginized word/expressions to express the theme of hostility and futility of war. Also, at the grammatical level, sentences according to structure and function; inverted and elliptical sentences; adverbial and adjectival clauses were also used to expresses various themes and to develop the plots of the novel logically. It was concluded that Agbasimalo is a writer who used English creatively to express the consequences of Nigerian civil war on women and children. Conversely, it was suggested that scholars should conduct further studies on other aspects not covered in this research.

Keywords


Lexico-grammar, Stylistics, Checklist, Linguistic Analysis, African Prose Fiction

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abioye, T., & Ajiboye, E. (2014). A Lexico-Stylistic Analysis of Kaine Agary’s Yellow- Yellow. In E. Arua, T. Abioye & K. Ayoola (eds.), Language, Literature and Style in Africa, A Festchrift for Professor Christopher Olatunji Awonuga (pp 3-5). New Castle: Cambridge Scholars.

Adejare, O. (1992) Language and Style in Soyinka: A Systemic Textlinguistic Study of Literary Idiolect. Ibadan: Heimann Education Books (Nigeria) Plc.

Agbasimalo, A. O. (2014). The Forest Dames: An Account of Nigeria-Biafra War (1967- 1970). Lagos: Parresia Publishers.

Amaechi, A. C. (2012). Linguistic Stylistics in Chimamanda Adechie’s Half of a Yellow Sun and Akachi A. Ezigbo’s Trafficked. A Master’s Project in the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Bűşra, U.I. (2014). Foregrounded: a Comparative Stylistic Analysis of Their Eyes were Watchhing God and its Turkish Translation. Procedia- Social and Behavioural Sciences, 158, pp. 37-40.

Coulthard, M. (1985). An Introduction to Discourse Analysis (2nd ed.). In C.N. Candlin (ed.), Applied Linguistics and Language Study. London and New York: Routledge.

Crystal, D. and Davy, D. (1969). Investing English Style. New York: Longman

Dean, O. (2010). A Stylistic Analysis of Isidore Okpewho’s The Last Duty and Helon Habila’s Waiting for an Angel. A Thesis Submitted to the Department of English and Literary Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Dutta, D.C. (2010). Bearing the Burden of Native Experience: A Stylistic Analysis of Chinua Achebe’s Arrow of God. Rupkatha Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 163-164.

Eze,V.O. (2014). The Functional Role of Pidgin in Nigeria: A Stylistic Study of Selected Literary Works. In E.J. Otagburuagu, L.C. Ogenyi & J.C. Ogbodo (eds.), Exploration on Styles, Stylistics and the Language of Literature. Enugu: Benak Publishers.

Eyisi, J. (2005). The Sentence. In S. Onuigbo (ed.), English Language: A Grammatical Description. Nsukka: Afro Orbis Publishers.

Halliday, M.A.K. (1967). Notes on Transitivity and Theme in English: Part 1. Journal of Linguistics, Vol. 3, pp 192-200.

Kadiri, G.C. (2014). Style in the Nigerian Novels. In E.J. Otagburuagu, L.C. Ogenyi & J.C. Ogbodo (eds.), Exploration on Styles, Stylistics and the Language of Literature. Enugu: Benak Publishers.

Leech, G., & Short, M. (2007). Style in Fiction: A Linguistic Introduction to English Fictional Prose (2nd ed.) Great Britain: Pearson Education Limited.

Ngonebu, C.L. (2008). Fundamentals of Second Language Learning. Nsukka: Afro-Orbis Publication Ltd.

Nnamani, F. U. (2014). Linguistic Devices in Stylistics. In E.J. Otagburuagu, L.C. Ogenyi & J.C. Ogbodo (eds.), Exploration on Styles, Stylistics and the Language of Literature. Enugu: Benak Publishers.

Nweze, E.U. (2012). Stylistic Study of Ngugi WA Thioango’s Wizard of the Crow and Okri’s The Famished Road. A Master’s Project in the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Ogbodo, J.C. (2014). Transliteration and Code-Switching as Elements of Style in Nigerian Novels. In E.J. Otagburuagu, L.C. Ogenyi & J.C. Ogbodo (eds.), Exploration on Styles, Stylistics and the Language of Literature (pp.106-115). Enugu:Benak Publishers.

Ogenyi, L. C., & Otagburuagu, E. J. (2014). Stylistics and the Language- Nexus Literature. In E.J. Otagburuagu, L.C. Ogenyi & J.C. Ogbodo (eds.), Exploration on Styles, Stylistics and the Language of Literature. Enugu: Benak Publishers.

Okebalama, U.N. (2014). Style in the Novel-Conspiracy of Silence.In E.J. Otagburuagu, L.C. Ogenyi & J.C. Ogbodo (eds.), Exploration on Styles, Stylistics and the Language of Literature (280-290). Enugu: Benak Publishers.

Okoro, P.A. (2014). Style in Language in Oral Literature: A Study of Tales from Igbere. Masters Project Submitted in the Department of English and Literary Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Onuigbo, S., and Eyisi, J. (2008). English Language in Nigeria: Issues and Development. Nsukka: Global Publishers.

Orabueze, F. O. (2005). The Major Parts of Speech in English langage. In S. Onuigbo (ed.), English Language: A Grammatical Description. Nsukka: Afro Orbis Publishers.

_ _ _ (2016). A Lecture on Stylistics (Unpublished). University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Putri, E.P. (2011). An Analysis of Stylistics in Dear John Novel by Nicholas Sparks. A Thesis Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculties, State Islamic University Syarif Hidayatullah.

Robin, R.H. (1980). General linguistics: An Introductory Survey. London: Longman.

Robbins, L. A. (2007). Grammar and Style at your Fingertips. USA & England: Penguin Group

Sapir, E. (1921). Language: An introduction to the Study of Speech. New York: Harcourt, Bracee and Company.

Tunca, D. Towards a Stylistic Mode for Analyzing Anglophone African Literatures: Preliminary Epistemological Considerations and a Case Study. In J.K.S. Mokakha, O. John & R.W. Pavlow (eds), Style in African Literature: Essay on Literary Stylistics and Narrative, pp.2-3

Wa Thiango, N. (1981). The Language of African Literature: Decolonizing the Mind: The Politics of Language in Africa Literature. London: James Currey.

Widdowson, H. G. (1975). Stylistics and the Teaching if Literature. London: Longman.

Wijitsopon, R. (2013). A Corpus Based Study of the Style in Jane Austen’s Novels. MANUSYA Journal of Humanities Regular, pp. 41-44.

Yeibo, E., & Akerele (2015). A Lexico-Semantic Reading of Chimmanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, Vol. 3, No. 2 pp. 144-155.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.7n.6p.1

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2012-2023 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD. 

International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature

To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the journal emails into your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.