The Nominal Group In GῘkũyũ: A Systemic Functional Grammar Approach

ABSTRACT

This study is an analysis of the nominal group in the Gĩkũyũ language using a

Systemic Functional Grammar approach. The language is spoken by the

Agikuyu who live in the Central and Rift Valley regions of Kenya. The study is

motivated by the need to account for the nominal group from a functional rather

than a formal approach. The study looked at the different realizations of

nominals in Gĩkũyũ clauses, how nominals are used to achieve reference in

clauses and how the nominal group can be accounted for in Systemic Functional

Grammar by applying a transactional metafunction. The data in this study was

collected from written Gĩkũyũ publications, a novel and a periodical. From these

were extracted clauses containing nominals of various realizations. A

qualitative approach was used to analyze the data which is presented

thematically. After analyzing the data, the findings prove that indeed the

nominal group has various realizations: noun phrases, pronominals, nominal

clauses and infinitives. It was also established that nominals can be used to mark

reference in Gĩkũyũ texts, thereby achieving textual cohesion. Both endophoric

and exophoric reference was attested. Following the analysis, it was established

that only noun phrases could effectively be analyzed using this approach. The

study, therefore, recommends that the theory, particularly the transactional

metafunction, be extended to cover all the nominal realizations. The findings

can be useful to curriculum and material developers as they develop teaching

and learning materials in Gĩkũyũ and also Gĩkũyũ authors as they write their texts.