THE STRUCTURE OF SERIAL VERB CONSTRUCTIONS IN ÀRÙM SARKI

Abstract

This study investigates the structure of verb serialisation in Àrùm Sarki, a Platoid language spoken in North Central, Nigeria. The study is descriptive, and interviews were conducted with ten (10) competent native speakers, and the data collected were analysed descriptively. The findings show that Àrùm Sarki has a distinctive structure of serial verb constructions, as the combination of certain verbs has a meaning different from the separate verbs. For instance; ná ‘go’ and hè̟ndè̟ ‘walk’, when combined as náhè̟ndè̟ means ‘travel’. Also, dè ‘hold’ and ba ‘come’ combined as dèba means ‘bring’. Hence, the findings also reveal that serial verb constructions in Àrùm Sarki are structurally monoclausal and semantically integrated as the language users must use such combinations to be very communicative in such regard. The study concludes that verb serialisation is a common phenomenon in Àrùm Sarki, as verbs in the language can co-occur. The study recommends further studies on the syntax of the language for language teaching, learning, documentation and development purposes.