SOME ASPECTS OF PHONOLOGY IN YORUBA

Some Aspects of Phonology

Credit: Prof L. O. Adewole

Yoruba for academic purpose

Deletion

V₁ + V₂ :::> V₁ or V₂

Gbé + odó = gbé odó = gbódó ‘lift the mortal’ where ‘é’ is V₁ and ‘o’ is V_2. Here, we have V₁+V₂ :::>V₂

Kà + Ìwé = ka ìwé = kàwé ‘read a book’ where ‘a’ is V₁ and ‘ì’ is V_2. Here, we have V₁+V₂ :::>V₁

Note that in deletion, the syllables are reduced. ‘Gbé odó’ has 3 syllables (gbé-o-dó) while ‘gbódó' has 2 syllables (gbó-dó).

Coalescence

V₁+V₂ :::> V₃

Dá+ọpẹ́ = dúpẹ́ ‘be thankful’ where ‘á’ is V₁ and ‘ọ’ is V₂ and ‘ú’ is V_3.

Other examples are: pa+irọ́ = purọ́ ‘tell a lie’; sun+ẹkún = sọkún ‘cry’

The syllables are also reduced when coalescence takes place.

Assimilation

V₁ +V₂ :::> V₁+V₁ or V₂ + V₂

Kú + iṣẹ́ = kúuṣẹ́ ‘greeting you on your work’ where V₁ + V₂ = V₁ + V_1. Here, ‘ú’ is V₁ and ‘i’ is V_2.

Ará + oko = aróoko ‘someone who comes from the village’ where V₁ + V₂ = V₂ + V_2. Here, ‘á’ is V₁ and ‘o’ is V_2.

Vowel Harmony

Tense Vowels in Ifẹ̀ Dialect: Mo rí i ‘I saw it’; Mo rù ú 'I carried it’; Mo pè é ‘I called him’; Mo jó o ‘I burnt it’.

Lax Vowels in Ifẹ̀ Dialect: Mọ wẹ̀ ‘I took a bath’; Mọ lọ ‘I went; Mọ gbà ‘I accepted’.