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AFRICAN LANGUAGES UNDERGRADUATE PROJECT TOPICS

SHADES OF MEANING ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONAL NAMES AND NAMING IN IGALA

SHADES OF MEANING ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONAL NAMES AND NAMING IN IGALA

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SHADES OF MEANING ASSOCIATED WITH PERSONAL NAMES AND NAMING IN IGALA

ABSTRACT

Examining the various meanings connected to names and naming in Igala is the aim of the study. The study looked at the numerous contexts that are associated with Igala name meanings as well as the distinctive characteristics that set the practice apart from other Nigerian languages.

In order to identify the distinctive characteristics that set the Igala naming practice apart from other Nigerian languages, the study examined the meanings that personal names have due to the society that bestows these meanings and grants them the status of names.

Native speakers of the language were asked to list six Igala names they are familiar with in order to collect data.The interview questions were used when interviewing native speakers. As a result, personal names that are considered Igala names were gathered.

The data was analysed using Roland Barthes’ semiological method to language analysis. The study examined Igala names as lexical items and as components of the language’s grammar. It was discovered that a child’s name is largely determined by the circumstances surrounding their birth.

It was also discovered that Igala people generally think that the community that supports the bearer of a name and the person who bears it both contribute to making the declaration in the name a reality.

Some Igala names solely have descriptive meanings related to the child’s physical characteristics, such as Oboni, which means six fingers or toes, and Enefu, which means white or skinned. Additionally, it was discovered that Igala names had linguistic connotations that Igala people interpret as names.

These are the characteristics of other individuals who go by those names, such as “Obaje” of Ali Obaje, the late and immediate traditional king of Igala country.

Additionally, it was discovered that names are provided as a declaration of the bearer’s destiny as well as for identification purposes. As a result, Igala personal names have varying meanings that are connected to certain sociocultural factors.

General Introduction

Chapter One

1.1 Background of the Study 

Despite the cross-cultural differences that define human cultures, one thing that never changes is the identity that people are given by their names. Names provide important information about a person’s gender, place of birth, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and role in the family and society at large.

According to Mphande (2006), names are regarded as an essential component of the language inventory and are the most significant vocabulary in any language. Names are therefore seen as social symbols created for and associated with all people, regardless of their nationality, sex, creed, or ethnicity.

Since every culture has its own naming customs and the implications of these customs aid in the creation of an individual’s identity, names and naming are seen as a global phenomenon.

The human race has a wide range of naming customs. In terms of their fundamental cultural meaning, such names appear to have little significance for an outsider. An Igala-speaking Nigerian, for example, could question why an Englishman would have names like Stone, Grass, Fox, and so forth.

This is due to the fact that, among the Igala, names are chosen to represent circumstances surrounding a child’s birth rather than being associated with the people’s ancestry, religion, culture, occupation, or ideals.

For example, some names, like “Agaba,” are derived from panegyric (praise) qualities, while others, like “Ejima” (male or female twins), deal with congenital conditions.

Other names also touch on the belief in reincarnation, as children born after the death of a grandfather or grandmother may be called “Ayegba.”

… CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review  

2.1 Introduction

This chapter’s primary focus is the review of pertinent literature. A literature review discusses the level of knowledge at the time of writing as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic.

It gives you details about the current state of the art regarding the topic of your essay. It looks at the corpus of research on the selected topic.

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