A Comparative Analysis of the Derivational Morphology of English and Yoruba (oyo Dialect)

Student: KAMILAH DAMILOLA HAMZAT (Project, 2025)
Department of Linguistics
Bayero University, Kano, Kano State

Abstract

This research compares and analyses the derivational morphology of English language and Yoruba language using Contrastive Analysis Theory propounded by Lado (1956). It specifically investigates the similarities and differences of the derivational systems of the two languages. Content analysis and purposive sampling were used in generating the required data. The findings reveal that both languages use the system of formation and conversion in their derivational morphology. In formation, English uses only prefixation and suffixation, while Yoruba makes use of only prefixation. In these sub-processes, suffixation happens to be the richest derivational process in English, while prefixation is a rich system in both English language and Yoruba language. However, the two languages share a lot of similarities more than differences. Therefore, based on this, it is concluded that belonging to the same or different language family does not determine significant similarity or otherwise between two or more languages.

Keywords
derivational english language yoruba languages analysis morphology prefixation similarities differences
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