Grammatical Paradigms Realisation in the Predicates of Conditional Sentences in Dholuo in Systemic Functional Grammar

Abstract

Sentences, being the largest units of language, are useful in talking about events, actions and situations in terms of when they took place, their state of completion as well as the language user’s disposition. These three critical variables, other than being marked by different morphemes, are domiciled within the predicate which may or may not comprise both the main verb and an auxiliary. These three grammatical categories that are considered language universals, are marked differently by different languages and are also known to greatly influence the syntax and the semantics of any given type of sentences. Dholuo, a Western Nilo-Sahara language spoken in the Western part of Kenya and also in other countries in East Africa has its unique way of marking and expressing tense, aspect and modality. Since this has not been conclusively described and documented, this paper sought to describe, examine and explain the realisation of these three categories in conditional sentences in Dholuo. This study used descriptive-analytic research design and adopted Systemic Functional Grammar (SFG) theory for its theoretical framework. The data upon which the findings were based on, was collected using elicitation frame administered on two native speakers and verified by the author as a native speaker of Dholuo. The data analysis adopted was both thematic and textual analysis to explain the manifestation and the ordering of the three grammatical paradigms within the predicates of the different categories of conditional sentences in Dholuo. The data showed that Dholuo has three distinct morphemes- ne, se, and de, that are used within the verb complex to mark tense, aspect and modality respectively in a manner that reflects the interplay between morphology, syntax and semantics. These findings make a contribution to the knowledge on Dholuo grammar generally and conditional sentences in Dholuo in particular.