COMPARATIVE ASPECTS OF THE TONAL SYSTEMS OF KÓRÒ-LÍJÍLI AND KÓRÒ-RƗ́JÍLI

Abstract

The aim of this study is to compare aspects of the tonal systems of the two most closely related variants of Koro- Kórò-Líjíli and Kórò-Rɨ́jíli, which were earlier established by Agwadu (forthcoming) as dialects of the same language. It compares the tonal patterns on monosyllabic, and disyllabic words. It also compares tonal functions in these dialects of Koro. Data were elicited from competent native speakers by organising interviews and Focus Group Discussion (henceforth, FGD). The Professional ZOOM H1N Handy Recorder was used to record the interview and FGD. Among other things, it was discovered that Líjíli and Rɨ́jíli attest three level tones- high, mid and low. It was also discovered that Líjíli and Rɨ́jíli are similar in all tonal patterns but one ‒L-M. It was further discovered that tone functions lexically and grammatically, but the lexical function is more productive, i.e., it can be more easily generated by a native speaker than the grammatical function of tone. On level of the grammatical function of tone, it was discovered that it can serve to distinguish simple past tense, simple future tense, causative clauses, modal verb constructions,prepositional phrases, and associative constructions in Líjíli, but only serves to distinguish simple past tense, prepositional phrases, associative constructions and modal verb constructions in Rɨ́jíli. This study contributes to the hitherto scanty literature on the Kórò variants as well as general linguistic scholarship.