The morphophonology of the Kenyan Swahili dialects

Abstract

The thesis is a description of the morphopnology of .the seven Kenyan Swahili dialects within the theoretical framework of Natural Generative Grammar as expounded by Joan Hooper and Theo Vennemann in their various publications. The thesis is di ided into eight chapters, a conclusion, and an appendix of map and the phonetic tables of the segments of the individual dialects. Chapter one is an introduction to the dialects ln which some issues, though tangential to the description proper, .are brought out and argued ln order to put the dialects in their correct historical and sociolinguistic perspective; the theoretical model adopted is described together with the hypotheses, objectives, scope and limitation and research methodology. Literature relevant to the study is reviewed and our own views about the strong and weak points of the previo~s studies expressed. Chapters two to eight are the actual descriptions of the morphophonology of the dialects in the following ascending order: Kivumba, Chi-Chifunai,Kimvita, Jon Kiamu, Kitikuu and Kisiyu. Only those aspects of the structure that are directly relevant to our description of the morphophonology are included ln the dialect description. The last paragraph of each dialect description brings out their salient characteristics. The concluding~ section summarizes what are deemed to be the main issues raised by the whole work, which encompasses all the dialects. The maps locate th