Comparative Analysis of Èlóyì and English Verb Phrase

This research studied Èlóyì and English Verb Phrases (VPs) using a comparative syntactic analysis. Èlóyì is an under-documented Benue-Congo language of Nigeria. Grounded in the framework of Contrastive Analysis, the research examined the structural configurations and distributional patterns of verb phrases in both languages with a view to identifying points of universalities and uniqueness. 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, and secondary sources from existing literature. The analyses reveal that both Èlóyì and English share the basic VP structure in which a verb functions independently as a complete phrase (VP = V). However, significant structural differences are observed. While English allows both direct and indirect object, Èlóyì strictly adheres to direct object. The findings contribute to the descriptive documentation of Èlóyì and underscore the relevance of contrastive syntactic analysis in understanding crosslinguistic variation. The study also has implications for second language learning and teaching, particularly for Èlóyì speakers acquiring English, as structural differences in verb 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.