AN OPTIMALITY THEORETIC STUDY OF THE SYLLABLE STRUCTURE AND TYPOLOGY OF YORÙBÁ NOMINALS

Abstract

This paper analyzes the syllable structure and typology of non-derived Yorùbá nominals within the framework of Optimality Theory. The objectives of the study are to determine the preferred syllable structure and typology attested in Yorùbá and state the reason for such preference in the language. The study adopted the qualitative research methodology, and the data, collected from selected native speakers of Yorùbá, using the Ibadan wordlist, were content analyzed. The paper established that non-derived Yoruba nominals that allow onsets keep them simple due to the higher-ranking status of the constraint *COMP-ONS in the language. The study also found out that an inter-vocalic consonant in non-derived Yoruba nominals is optimally syllabified as an onset to the next syllable rather than as a coda to the preceding one due to the higher-ranking status of *CODA in the language. Thus, the paper concluded that the preferred syllable structure in Yorùbá is CV, and that the language operates the open syllable typology, as attested in the literature. The paper recommends the continuous application of Optimality Theory to African language data in order to ensure that the languages are scientifically researched with extant contemporary linguistic theories.