Morpho-Syntactic, Lexical and Semantic Curiosities in the Naming Practice in Ghomala’
WEGA SIMEU, PhD

Abstract
This article analyses the naming practice in Fg—Δl`æk`æ&, a Bantu Grassfield language spoken in the West Region of Cameroun. Our interest in this paper can be stated in the following queries: what is behind the sounds that make up the morphemes and the words used in Fg—Δl`æk`æ& language as Names? What are the morphological structure and the semantic implications of names in this area? Our objectives in this paper are manifold: first, we want to identify the various morphosyntactic structures of Fg—Δl`æk`æ& names. Secondly, it is aimed to discuss their semantic implications. Thirdly we want to sensitize the native speakers to enhance the value of their culture and identity through their family names. And finally to derogate the mental colonization and the excessive attribution of borrowed names to Cameroonian children, which in fact is taking them away from their culture, language and identity. The data used in this research were collected mainly from the central and Southern Ghóèmaàlaà’ dialects. About one thousand (1000) names were collected and transcribed with IPA symbols. The analysis was carried out following the American School of structuralism (Bloomfield, 1933; Harris 1957) andAnthropo linguistics (Duranti 2003; Lévi-Strauss 1953-1973). The findings show that Fg—Δl`æk`æ’ names are mostly made up of a concatenation of Phrases and Clauses, namely NPs, VPs, and Non verbal Clauses. Fg—Δl`æk`æ& names are monosyllabic, disyllabic, trisyllabic and quadrisyllabic. Many linguistic processes such as derivation, verb flexion are also present.

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