ADVERBIAL CLAUSES IN EDO LANGUAGE

PRACTICUM FIELD WORK

(2022/2023 ACADEMIC SESSION)

SUPERVISOR:

PROFESSOR L. C.YUKA

DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS STUDIES,

FACULTY OF ARTS,

UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN CITY

FEBRUARY, 2024
 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES IN EDO LANGUAGE

Tessy Osahenrumwen EHIOROBO (Miss) ART2004718

Melvin Osamwonyi OSAYANDE ART2000594

Blessing Ngozi OSHILIM (Miss) ART2000597

Oluwadamilola Grace OYEWOLE (Miss) ART2000601

Joy Merit JAMES (Miss) ART2004743

DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS STUDIES,

FACULTY OF ARTS,

UNIVERSITY OF BENIN, BENIN

FEBRUARY, 2024
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the almighty God for
providing us with the strength, wisdom, and guidance throughout the duration of
our practicum. It was through His grace that we were able to successfully complete
this period of learning.

We would also like to extend our appreciation to our Supervisor, Professor

L.C Yuka for his invaluable support, guidance and encouragement. Our immense
gratitude also goes to our lecturer, Mr Aghauwa Osarumen Godsent. Their
expertise and mentorship has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of
the Adverbial clauses in the Ẹdo language.

A special word of thanks goes to our informants, whose willingness to share

their knowledge greatly enriched our learning experiences. Their generosity and
openness have contributed significantly to the depth and quality of our practicum
work.

Lastly, we would like to acknowledge ourselves, as we have worked

diligently and persistently to fulfill the requirements of our field work. Or
commitment, dedication, unity, and perseverance have played a significant role in
the successful completion of this endeavor.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i

Acknowledgements------------------------------------------------------------------ ii

Abstract------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv

1. Introduction

2. A Linguistic Overview of the Edo Language

3. Aim and Objectives

4. Research Questions

5. Method of Data Collection and Analysis

6. Analysis of Adverbial Clauses in Ẹdo

6.1 Adverbial clauses of Manner

6.2 Adverbial clauses of Time

6.3 Adverbial clauses of Place

6.4 Adverbial clauses of Reason

6.5 Adverbial clauses of Condition

7. Discussion of Findings

8. Summary and Conclusion

 ABSTRACT

This research paper examines the use of adverbial clauses in the Ẹdo language. It
explores the structure and functions of adverbial clauses in Ẹdo, and provides
examples on how they are used in every day speech. The research also discusses
the adverbial positions, adverbial signifier, adverbial forms and adverbial clause
structures of the Edo language. Overall, this research provides an insight into the
complex and fascinating grammar of the Edo language. A quantitative research
method was adopted in sourcing the data used to analyze this work. The
researchers went to the field of and met with competent native speakers ranging
from ages of 45-60. Data realized was analyzed and grouped for further analysis
and at the end of the study, the researchers were able to draft out the structures,
positions, signifier, and forms of adverbial clauses in Edo language.
1. INTRODUCTION

This study is a focus on the adverbial clauses of Edo language. While there
has been research on the structure of Edo language, there has been little or no
research on the adverbial clauses of Edo language. It was observed during the
cause of this study that many speakers of the Edo language have very little or no
knowledge on the adverbials of Edo language, this observation gave birth to the
motivation of this study. It aims to bring to knowledge the importance of adverbial
clauses of Edo language, help improve the understanding of Edo grammar as well
as provide insight into how the language is used in everyday communication. This
research can contribute to the preservation of Edo language and culture. This
research will be beneficial to linguists, students of Edo language and anyone
interested in the grammar of Edo.

Clauses are structures they typically consist of a subject and a verb, and
which can form sentences on their own or as part of a larger sentence" (Davies &
Dubinsky, 2017)."Any syntactic unit that can be a compliment or a modifier of
another unit" (Schools & Pullum, 2007). Adverbials are one of the clauses we have,
and in Edo language it is an essential part of its study as far as grammars are
concerned. We however cannot talk about adverbial without mentioning adverbs.

Adverbs are "words that function as sentence modifiers, typically modifying

verbs, adjectives or other adverbs" (Payne, 2016)."Words that modify Verbs,
Adjectives or other adverbs" (Hinkel, 2012)."Words that describe manner, place,
time, reason or degree" (Svartvik, 2006). Adverbials can be defined as" linguistics
expressions that function as modifiers of a sentence, clause or phrase" (Dik,
2006)." Words or phrases that can function as sentence modifiers" (Arts, 2013).
Adverbial clauses of Edo are" sentences that express time, place, manner, cause
and purpose" (Oniemula, 2013)." Constructions which modify another clause by
expressing time, place, manner, condition, result and reason" (Esonu & Adewale,
2015)." Clauses that function as adverbs, modifying verb, adjectives and other
adverbs, and thus providing additional information about the main clause" (Dario,
2016).

2. A LINGUISTIC OVERVIEW OF THE EDO LANGUAGE

The Edo language is a Kwa language that belongs to the Volta-Niger branch
of the Niger-Congo family. It is primarily spoken in Edo state, in the southern part
of Nigeria. Edo state has 18 local government areas, and the languages spoken in
each of these are as can vary. The most common languages spoken in Edo state
include Edo (Bini), Esan, Owan, and Afemai. The Edo people are a West African
ethnic group who live primarily in Edo state, Nigeria. They are believed to have
migrated to the area from the East around the 14th century, and they eventually
settled in what is now the city of Benin.

The Edo people are known for their rich cultural heritage which includes
traditional music, dance and art. They are also known for their intricate brass
casting, which has been practiced in the region for centuries. The Edo people have
a strong sense of community and a deep respect for their ancestors and elders.

Edo language is a tonal language, meaning that the meaning of words can
change based on the tone or pitch of the words. It is also a Subject – Verb –Object
(SVO) language, meaning that the subject typically comes before the verb, which
in turn comes before the object. Edo can be classified as a Kwa language based on
its morphology, syntax, and phonology. Edo is a agglutinative language, meaning
that it uses a system of suffixes and prefixes to convey grammatical information.

Nouns for instance in Edo can take a variety of prefix and suffix to indicate
gender, number, case and possession. Regarding syntax, Edo is a head-final
language, meaning that the head of a phrase or clause typically comes at the end. In
terms of phonology, Edo is a tonal language with a large inventory of vowels and
consonants. It has four tone levels: low, mid, high and extra high. It also has a
large number of vowels, including Monophthongs and Diphthongs. In terms of
consonants, Edo has four unique sounds, such as: implosive consonants, lateral
fricatives, and nasal vowels.

The language also has a complex system of vowel harmony, meaning that
certain sounds must agree with each other in terms of blackness and roundness.
The Edo alphabet consists of 39 letters, with 12 vowels and 27 consonants. There
are several Edo newspapers, and the language is taught in schools and used in radio
and television broadcasts.

3. AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

To examine the impact of Adverbial clauses on sentence constructions and

the implications for information structure, discourse organization, and pragmatic
meaning in Ẹdo.

i. Examine the adverbial clause signifiers/ starters in the Edo language;

ii. Give an account on the internal structure of adverbial clauses in Edo;
iii. Explain the types/ forms of adverbial clauses in Edo;
 iv. Provide information on the syntactic positions of adverbial clauses in Edo;
and
v. Provide information on the clause structure of adverbial clauses in Edo.

4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS FOR THE STUDY

In order to carry out the study for the adverbial clauses of Edo language, the
following questions were raised in line with the objectives to guide the study:

i. What are the adverbial clause signifiers/starters in Edo?

ii. What are the internal structures of adverbial clauses of Edo?
iii. What are the types / forms of adverbial clauses of Edo?
iv. What are the internal syntactic positions of adverbial clauses in Edo?
v. What is the clause structure of adverbial clauses in Edo?

5. METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

The present study relied on primary data. The primary data consisted of oral
data collected from informants selected for the study. The oral data which formed
the primary data consisted of sentences and clauses containing adverbial references.
The informants for the study were selected from Ekosodin and the University of
Benin.

The informants were between the ages of 50 to 70 years. These informants

are competent speakers of the Edo language who have lived in the Edo speaking
areas all their lives. They were semi-literate who could communicate well in the
Nigeria Pidgin. The data were collected using the question method and the results
were recorded using a voice recorder. The elicited data were later transcribed in
research notes for further analysis.
 From the bulk of data collected, a number of relevant data which were
adverbial clauses were selected for further analysis. The relevant data selected
were authenticated and verified by a teaching linguist in the Department of
Linguistics Studies, University of Benin. The verified data were then categorized
into adverbial clauses based on the factors of time, manner, degree, among others.
The work is a descriptive work.

6. ANALYSIS OF ADVERBIAL CLAUSES IN ẸDO

Adverbial clauses are known from traditional grammar as one of the three
major classes of subordinate clauses (the other two being relative and complement
clauses).

There are several kinds of Adverbial clauses in Ẹdo and some of the mare;

6.1 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES OF MANNER

They provide information on how an action is performed in Ẹdo. In Ẹdo,

they begin with subordinate conjunction such as “as if” which is translated in Ẹdo
as “vbene”. Some examples of adverbial clause in Ẹdo are;

1. a. Ọ khian vbena rẹ ọmwa ne agbọn

Pron walk as like be person part life

He walked as if he is the real deal

b. Ọ guan vbene irọẹn ẹre ọ rẹẹn sẹẹ

Pron talk as Pron 3SG Pron know superior

He spoke confidently as if he knew everything.

 In the data above,

6.2 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES OF TIME

The adverbial clause of time provides information about when the action in
the main clause takes place. In Ẹdo, they show “when” (ẹghẹ ke ẹghẹ) an action
takes place.

Some examples are:

2. a. I gha vbe nwina fo nẹ, I gha vbe rhie eke ni na do ẹki mwẹ

1SG when PART work finish PART, 1SG PART go place that do market me
When I finish my work, I will go to my store
b. U ke lovbiẹ, lahọr kpe akon ruẹ
2SG-you AUX sleep, please wash teeth 2SG-you
Before you sleep, please brush your teeth.
c. Ẹghẹ ke ẹghẹ ne orhunmwuyen ya rre, ma gha rrie ayọn nẹ
Time and time that visitor to come, 1PL will give drink 3SG
When the guest arrive, we would serve him/her with drinks.
d. Ke ni yasẹ Ẹkosodin, orhionmwẹ na do sẹ otọ
Since I to reach Ẹkosodin, mind me be reach ground
Since I moved to Ẹkosodin, I have been at peace.

e. Ẹghẹ ke ẹghẹ ne ohu mu mwẹ, I wa vbe rriẹ ehọ ye ihuan

Time and time that anger catch me,1SG PART give ear to song.
Whenever I am upset, I listen to music

f. U ghe nii gha fonẹ, ma I vbe khian lẹgaa

 Look that FUT finish PART,1PL FUT walk round
After the movie end, we will go for a walk.

g. Amẹ ke rhọọ ka, ma na gha rrẹ uwe owa

Water to fall dry,1PL PST stay inside house

Until the rain stopped, we were inside

h. Agha ru emwi ne awẹ ne ọmwa ru, emwirokpa I ru ọmwa

We FUT do thing that say PART person do, nothing NEG do person

As long as you follow instructions, nothing would happen to you.

i. I gha nwina nẹ, I do guẹ rrievbare ota

1SG FUT work PART, 1SG follow eat food evening

As soon as I finish my work, I will join you for dinner.

j. Ẹghẹ ke ẹghẹ ne I ya miẹ akpakpa, ohan I wa mu mwẹ

Time to time that 1SG to see spider, fear 1SG PART catch me
Whenever I see a spider, I get scared.

6.3 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES OF PLACE

The adverbial clause of place provides information about where the action in
the main clause takes place. Some examples are;

3. a. Osasu ghẹẹ ehe hia, sokpan Ọ ma bẹghe Emẹ

Osasu look place all, but 2SG NEG see monkey

 Osasu looked around but he could not see the Monkey

b. wa vbe ghẹ ehe hia ni wa vbe rẹẹn

1SG PART look place all that PART know

I searched everywhere I could think of.

c. Larre do ghee emwi ne I miẹ

Come to see thing that 1SG found

Come over here and look at what I found

d. Osato vbe gha rrie Ẹvbo ebo vbe nodẹ

Osato PART FUT go land white people PART yesterday

Osato travelled abroad yesterday.
e. Ọrrie Ẹvbo ne a tiẹre Ọnisha
1SG go place that DET call Onitsha
He went to Onitsha
f. Owa ọghe Ọse mwẹ wa sikẹẹ evba
House of friend me PART near there
My friend‘s house is close by
g. Owa oghe ugamwẹ ke ghi rre vbe emwa
House of worship AUX far from here
The church is far from here
h. Esuku ne ivbimwẹ yo rrẹ evba
School that children me go is there
The school my children attends is over there
i. I na gha rrẹ uwẹ owa vbe nodẹ rhunmwuda wẹ amẹ gha rhọọ
 1SG PST be inside house for yesterday, because say rain be fall
I stayed indoors yesterday because it was Rainy
j. Ọ na kẹ ehe rre vbe uzọla ne ọ gberra.
1SG be come place come PART week that Pass
He came back from vacation a week ago

6.4 ADVERBIAL CLAUSE OF REASON

Adverbial clause of reason provides the reason or cause of an action. It

indicates “why” an action took place.

Some examples are;

4. a. I ma rherre yọre ere ọ siẹ ne I ma rherre rre

1SG NEG quick wake that is cause that 1SG NEG quick come
I was late because I over slept.

b. I rhulẹ rhumwunda wẹ I ma rherre kpaa.

1SG run because say 1SG NEG quick left

I ran because I was in a rush

c. I rherre vbiẹ rhunmwuda wẹ egbe ya wọ mwẹ

1SG quick sleep because say body all tire me

I slept early because I was tired

d. I gha rhiẹ iyobor ne uwẹ, ugha fẹko tai.

1SG FUT give help to 2SG, 2SG will gently talk

 I will help you as long as you ask nicely.

e. Rhunmwuda wẹ amẹ rhọọ, Ima ma I ku iku na

Because say rain fall, 1PL NEG dance the dance that
Because it was rainy, we decided to cancel the party.

f. Adeghẹ ohanmwẹ gbe ruẹ, I gha le evbare ne uwe ne u re

If hunger beat 2SG, 1SG FUT cook food for 2SG PART 2SG eat
If you are hungry, I will something to eat for you

g. I te wi vbe odẹ ẹre ina ne ọta

1SG almost lost for road PART 1SG ask question

I almost got lost, so I asked for direction

h. I sẹ owa ẹre ina ya khuẹ

1SG reach house PART 1SG PST+go bath

When I got home, I took a shower

i. I gha tama ruẹ rhunmwunda wẹrẹ u nẹ ọta

1SG FUT tell 2SG because say 1SG ask talk

I will tell you because you asked questions

j. Ima na gha ghọghọ rhunmwuda wẹrẹ ima miẹ iye oghe ima

1PL+we PART FUT happy because say 1PL see mother of 1PL+us
We were happy because we saw our mother
6.5 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES OF CONDITION

Adverbial clauses of condition are used to express a condition that must be

met for the main clause to happen.

Some examples are;

5. a. Amẹ gha rhọọ vbe akhuẹ, ma gha totaa ye owa

Water FUT fall for tomorrow, 1PL FUT sit for house
If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors.
b. Vbene Ọ tie ebe sẹ, Ọ ma fuẹ nnẹ
Although 2SG read book reach, 1SG NEG pass
Although he studied hard, he did not pass the exam
c. Adeghe u gualọ iyobọr mwẹ, tiemwẹ
If 2SG find favor me, call me.
If you need any help, just let me know/ call me.
d. Ẹgogo gha tu, Ẹghẹ sẹ nẹ na ya tie ebe
Clock FUT ring, time reach PART that all call book
When the bell rings, it‘s time to go to class.
e. Ugha rrievbare nọbun, Ẹko I gha khia ruẹ
2SG if eat food plenty, stomach FUT pain 2SG
If you eat too much, you will have a stomach ache.
f. Ẹdẹ ne Imiẹ ẹre, ọyọ ẹwu ne mose mose
Day that 1SG see 3SG, 1SG wear dress that fine fine
When I saw her, she was wearing a beautiful dress.
g. Vbene amẹ nii rhọọ sẹ, iran vbe gha rrie ẹzẹ
Although water that fall reach, 3PL PART FUT go river
 Although it rained heavily, they still went to the river.
h. Ugha koko igho, ugha sẹtin dẹ emwi ne u khian dẹ
2SG FUT gather money. 2SG FUT able but thing that 2SG go buy
If you save money, you will be able to buy anything you want.
i. I ghi khian vbe nodẹ, ina miẹ ẹwe ọkpa
1SG PART walk for road, 1SG see goat one
While I was walking along the road, I saw a goat.
j. Ọ mwẹ inwinna nọbun, sokpan ọ ye ẹwẹ
2SG have work plenty, but 2SG still rest
Although he has a lot of work to do, he took a break.

7. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Based on our observations from the data above, one prominent feature of the
Ẹdo sentence structure is it use of multiple adverbial clauses, which often are often
introduced by specific markers and starters. Some of these starters or markers are
“Rhunmwuda” Ẹdo word for “because”, “Ẹghẹ ke ẹghẹ” Ẹdo word for “Anytime”,
“Vbene” Ẹdo word for “as if or like”, e.t.c.

The Ẹdo language has a basic word order which is subject-verb-

object(SVO).This is a fundamental aspect of the Ẹdo syntax and is consistent with
the word or the patterns for other languages.

Furthermore, Ẹdo exhibit a high degree of inflectional and derivation

processes, which are used to encode Tense, Aspect, Mood, and other grammatical
nuances. This structure of the Ẹdo language, contribute to the overall clause
structure, allowing for the expression of Time, aspect, and other temporal
relationships within the sentence.
 Additionally, Ẹdo clause structure can be subordinate and main adverbial
clauses and this is a notable feature of the language and contributes to it expressive
capabilities.

Overall, the internal structure of adverbial clauses in Ẹdo includes a

subordinating conjunction or dependent marker, a subject, and a predicate, with
some Particles in word order. An example is the Ẹdo sentence for “Because osato
bought rice, he beat her” which is “Rhunmwuda wẹrẹ Osato dẹ izẹ, ẹre ọna gbẹ”.
These observations are based on what we have found out about the language.

8. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

This practicum field work focuses on the examination of the adverbial

clauses in Ẹdo, a Nigerian language. The study delves into the clause structure of
Ẹdo, specifically exploring the presence of both main and subordinate clauses
within the language. The research analyzes the different types of adverbial clauses
present in Ẹdo and their syntactic positions, aiming to provide a comprehensive
understanding of the role of adverbial clauses in Ẹdo grammar and syntax.

This field work focuses on collecting and analyzing examples of adverbial

clauses in Ẹdo language, and categorizing them based on their types such as time,
place, manner, condition, and reason.

The syntactic positions of these adverbial clauses within the sentence

structure are also closely examined to determine their relationship to the main
clause and their impact on the overall meaning of the sentence.

This study serves as a significant contribution to the understanding of Ẹdo

linguistics structures, shedding light on the intricate nature of adverbial clauses and
their roles in conveying meaning within the language. Understanding the adverbial
clause structure in Ẹdo not only enriches our knowledge of the language but also
contributes to the broader field of linguistics, allowing for comparative analyses
and insights into the universality of clause structures across different languages.

Overall, this practicum field work underscores the importance of studying

adverbial clauses in Ẹdo and lays the groundwork for future investigations into the
syntax and semantics of adverbial constructions in the language.