MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF ÀGÀTÚ PERSONAL NAMES

Abstract

Language is one of the instrumental components for the expression of culture. It facilitates communication between individuals and groups. Language plays a significant role in the developmental processes of any country. This paper is on the Morphological Analysis of Àgàtú Personal Names. Naming is universal and has become inseparable with human culture and language. Personal names in Àgàtú, just like in other languages of the world, are not just means of identifications but possess morphological properties worthy of scholarly attention. Data for this paper were elicited from the list of secondary school registers and the nominal roll register of the council ward under Àgàtú LGA. The descriptive method of data analysis was used. The analysis is divided into two basic groups. The first has to do with the internal structure of Àgàtú personal names (APNs)as simple, compound, and complex words, and the second group dwells on the morphological processes like derivation, clipping and other word formation strategies productive in the APNs. Àgàtú personal names could be mono-morphemic and bi-morphemic. This study reveals that Àgàtú attests to compound and complex formation in APNs’ noun + noun, noun + adjective in order to form compound and complex personal names. Some personal names are derived via prefixation processes. Morphological processes such as Derivation, Clipping, Nominalization and Borrowing. This study analysed and described the morphological properties imbedded in APNs. The study found out that, beyond serving as means of identification, personal names in Àgàtú possess morphological properties that can be systematically analysed.