On Gender and Nominal Class: Minimalist analysis and interpretation through Akyé, a Kwa language spoken in Côte d’Ivoire
Abstract: This study questions the relevance of differentiating between Number (Gender) and Nominal Class. After having illustrated the phenomenon of Nominal Class and Gender in Ɛga language, this paper has revealed that in Akyé, the object of this study, the empirical data show two nominal classes...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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CRAC, INSAAC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Akofena |
| Online Access: | https://www.revueakofena.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/15-J16v07-09-Joseph-Yapo-BOGNY-Ali-Kouame-AMADOU_173-183.pdf |
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| Summary: | Abstract: This study questions the relevance of differentiating between Number (Gender) and Nominal Class. After having illustrated the phenomenon of Nominal Class and Gender in Ɛga language, this paper has revealed that in Akyé, the object of this study, the empirical data show two nominal classes and two genders respectively identified on the basis of the semantic features [ ±HUMAN] and [± ANIMATE]. The two nominal classes are split into [+HUMAN] and [-HUMAN] Nouns. The two genders are subdivided into [+ANIMATE] and [-ANIMATE] Nouns and are realized on all Nouns. This research verifies that these two phenomena show an agreement of semantic features. They can be seen as an illustration of the Theta-role Assignment. It is therefore on the basis of Number (SG/PL) and Gender ([+ANIMATE] / [-ANIMATE]) that the nominal classes are realized. Ultimately, inasmuch as the Gender phenomenon systematically realizes the correlation SG/PL (Number) on the basis of the opposition [+ANIMATE] / [-ANIMATE], whereas the opposition [+HUMAN] / [-HUMAN] morphosyntactically establishes only the plural morpheme for some Nouns, this paper admits, in a minimalist approach, the existence of two nominal classes in Akyé split into [+ANIMATE] and [-ANIMATE] Nouns.
Keywords: Nominal Class, Number/Gender, Akyé, Ɛga, Agreement. |
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| ISSN: | 2706-6312 2708-0633 |