Verb Complementation Patterns in African Englishes

• Applicant: Dr. Folajimi Oyebola
• Subject Area: General and Comparative Linguistics, Experimental Linguistics, Typology, Non-European Languages
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 493540387

The project aims to examine innovative patterns of verbcomplementation in three African Englishes (Ghanaian, Kenyan, andNigerian English). The first objective of the study is descriptive, aimingto examine the nature of innovative verb complementation patternsand to determine to what extent such innovations are shared acrossthe three varieties. The second objective is methodological; it will gobeyond the usual description of verb complementation patterns asattempted by earlier corpus studies by including an acceptabilityjudgement task in order to determine the extent to which theseconstructions have stabilised across the English varieties and whetherthe constructions have obtained social acceptance in the speechcommunities. Achieving these two objectives will provide a platformfrom which patterns in the three varieties can be compared to patternsin other New Englishes. The third objective is to extrapolate thetheoretical implications of the findings of the study with regard to thepositioning of the three varieties in Schneider’s Dynamic Model. Theproject demonstrates a mixed-methods approach that is contextsensitiveand integrates the users’ perspective. The combination ofcorpus and experimental data is essential for this project. On the onehand, differences across varieties, such as cross-varietal variationwith regard to the use of verbal constructions, can be described inclose detail through corpus data. On the other hand, experimentaldata is capable to shed light on the social acceptance of therespective structure in the speech communities. These perceptionalinsights will help to understand the variation described in the corpusanalysis. The novelty of the project is twofold: firstly, it shows thebenefits of mixed-method research as it combines qualitative andquantitative methods; it highlights the importance of combining ananalysis of language use with an analysis of the users’ perspective,which is still very rare in investigations on structural innovations todate; secondly, on a theoretical level, the project focusses on NewEnglishes without applying a deficit perspective, which takes nativeEnglish varieties (e.g. British English) as benchmark varieties anddescribes how New Englishes differ from them. Instead, the projectadvances a theoretical approach that treats New Englishes asindependent varieties and highlights structural features that makethem indigenised, nativised Englishes. In this regard, it will specificallytake into account the cognitive perspectives as well as thesociolinguistic perspectives on the evolution of New Englishes.

• DFG Programme: WBP Position