Classroom:Ewe Noun Phrases
This page was created as an in-classroom exercise in LING 2208, NTNU
By Mercy Motte and Mango K. Bodua
Contents
Syntax of Ewe Noun Phrases
1. A noun phrase can be a single word. Eg. [1] agbà “load”
| agbà |
| agbà |
| load |
| N |
2. A noun phrase can be followed immediately by a determiner. Eg.
nyɔnu la “the woman” meaning the noun phrase is left headed.
| nyɔnu |
| nyɔnu |
| woman |
| N |
| la |
| la |
| AFFMT |
| DET |
3. Nouns in Ewe are inflected for number. The plural suffix is ‘’wo’’ which is normally attached to nouns as a suffix. For example,
Ðeviwo “children”
| Ðeviwo |
| Ðeviwo |
| children |
| N |
However, anytime there is the presence of definite (la), it contracts to ‘’a’’ and then infixes itself between the noun and its plural suffix. Eg.
Ðeviawo “the children”
| Ðeviawo | ||
| Ðevi | a | wo |
| child | DEF | PL |
| N | ||
Morphology of Ewe Noun Phrases
4. All post noun modifying elements for example, adjectives in the noun phrase precede the definite marker or the demonstrative. The noun phrase is left headed. Egs. Ðevi sue sia“this small child”
| Ðevi |
| Ðevi |
| child |
| N |
| sue |
| sue |
| small |
| ADJ |
| sia |
| sia |
| this |
| DEM |
Ðevi lolo la “the big/fat child”
| Ðevi |
| Ðevi |
| child |
| N |
| lolo |
| lolo |
| big |
| ADJ |
| la |
| la |
| AFFMT |
| DET |
5. Some noun phrases in Ewe are actually prepositional phrases in English when translated. This is interesting. Find an example below.
| L è |
| l è |
| PRES |
| nukpɔkpɔ |
| nukpɔkpɔ |
| video |
| N |
| me |
| me |
| inCTed |
| PPOST |
| la |
| la |
| DEF |
| DET |
Semantics of Ewe Noun Phrases
6. Complex nouns exist in the Ewe language made up of different and unique morphemes. Compound words have this phenomenon. One can do a morphology of these complex nouns. See the breakdown of an example below.
| xexeame | ||
| xexe | a | me |
| outside | DEF | LOC |
| N | ||
The example above is made up of the noun - outside, the AFFIRMATIVE (Det) marker - a (this is the contracted form of la and the LOCATIVE- me [2]
6b. The Morphology of some complex nouns. See examples below.
| afɔdzi | |
| afɔ | dzi |
| leg | on |
| N | |
| gaƒoɖokui | ||
| ga | ƒo | ɖokui |
| metal | beat | self |
| N | ||
| abadzivɔ | ||
| aba | dzi | vɔ |
| bed | on | cloth |
| N | ||
| aliblaka | ||
| ali | bla | ka |
| waist | tie | rope |
| N | ||
| zikpui | |
| zi | kpui |
| seat | short |
| N | |
| nuŋlɔti | ||
| nu | ŋlɔ | ti |
| something | write | stick |
| N | ||
| aƒeme | |
| aƒe | me |
| house | LOC |
| N | |
7. Orthography of the LOCATIVE me in noun phrases In one context as shown below:
| xexeame | ||
| xexe | a | me |
| outside | DEF | LOC |
| N | ||
| agamaagbalẽe | ||
| agama | agbalẽ | e |
| chameleon | book | FOC |
| N | ||
Comparison of Ewe and English
locatives
The LOCATIVE me is written as part of the main noun. In another context as shown below:
| L è |
| l è |
| PRES |
| nukpɔkpɔ |
| nukpɔkpɔ |
| video |
| N |
| me |
| me |
| inCTed |
| PPOST |
| la |
| la |
| DEF |
| DET |
The LOCATIVE me stands all alone; not attached to the main noun. This is so because orthographically it is allowed and again, the context for their usage is also different. In one context, it helps create a complex noun and in the other context, it behaves as a unique morpheme, standing all alone to make the phrase complete.
8. Some Nouns are polysemous. See examples below
| tó |
| tó |
| ear/mountain/pound |
| gà |
| gà |
| money/metal |
| N |