Comparative Syntactic Analysis of Èlóyì and English Noun Phrases

This study presents a comparative syntactic analysis of Noun Phrase (NP) structures in Èlóyì, an under-documented Benue-Congo language of Nigeria, and English. Grounded in the framework of Contrastive Analysis, the research examined the structural configurations and distributional patterns of noun phrases in both languages with a view to identifying points of convergence and divergence. Data for the study were obtained through a combination of primary sources, including native speaker intuitions and interviews with language informants in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria and secondary sources from the existing literature. The analysis reveals that both Èlóyì and English share the basic NP structures in which a noun functions independently as a complete phrase (NP = N), as well as structures involving post-modification (NP = N + Modifier(s)). However, significant structural differences are observed. While English allows both pre-modification and post-modification of the head noun (e.g., NP = Pre-modifier(s) + N and NP = Pre-modifier(s) + N + Post-modifier(s)), Èlóyì strictly adheres to a post-modification pattern, with modifiers consistently following the head noun. This typological distinction highlights the rigid head-initial structure of Èlóyì noun phrases in contrast to the more flexible modification system in English. The findings contribute to the descriptive documentation of Èlóyì and underscore the relevance of contrastive syntactic analysis in understanding cross-linguistic variation. The study also has implications for second language learning and teaching, particularly for Èlóyì speakers acquiring English, as structural differences in noun phrase formation may present areas of difficulty. Overall, the research enriches the body of knowledge in comparative linguistics and supports ongoing efforts to document and analyze indigenous Nigerian languages.