Sociolinguistics And Morphosemantics Of Pogolo Personal Names

ABSTRACT

The study informs about the Pogolo personal names. It particularly informs the semantics, morphology of Pogolo personal names, as well as the sociolinguistic interpretation of the names. Using the descriptive research design coupled with the qualitative approach, data were generated through interviews, focus group discussion (FGD) and documentation. 28 informants were purposively and snowball sampled from Mwaya, Ruaha, and Chilombola wards of the southern part of Ulanga to inform the study. Documentation was also done using the lists of names in the school register book at Mwaya Primary School, Chikwela Primary School and Chilombola Primary School. From the schools, 40 Pogolo names were collected and 10 more names were obtained from the interviews and discussions with the informants of the study. The analysis of the information obtained revealed that Pogolo personal names have meanings, which reflect the name-giver or the manner of birth. Other names are given to reflect social factors. Names are morphologically constructed using different morphological processes, including derivation and compounding. The Pogolo society has the morphological constructions to mark gender in personal names. Based on these findings and facts, it is hereby concluded that Pogolo personal names are given out of the feelings of name-giver, the manner of birth and social factors. The study ends by recommending that Pogolo and other societies should name their newborns using the names drawn from their ethnic languages as a way of preserving the good values of their culture and a marker of identity also.