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THE GRAMMATICALISATION OF SỊ 'SAY' IN IGBO

By
1 2Christiana Ngozi Ikegwuonu, (PhD)  & Martha Chidimma Egenti, (PhD)

1
Department of Linguistics and Igbo, Faculty of Arts, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu 

University, Igbariam Campus, ngozichristyikegwuonu@yahoo.com

2Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, 
cm.egenti@unizik.edu.ng

Abstract
lthough many works have been done in the verbs of the language but much work has not been Adone in the language as regards to grammaticalization of the lexical words in the syntactic 
constructions. It is on this premise that this study sets out to investigate the 

grammaticalization of the verb sị'say' in the Igbo language with the objectives of examining the 
various grammatical functions it can perform in the syntactic constructions, its grammatical 
relations and its distributions as well as finding out the processes that are involved in its 
grammaticalisation. The study employs the parameters of Lehmann's (2015) aspects of 
grammaticalization as a theoretical framework in the analysis of the data. The data for this study 
were drawn from these literature texts Chi Ewere Ehihie Jie, Emecheta and Nkọlị by J.U.T Nzeako, 
Dimkpa Taa Akụ, Ebubedike and Ụwaezuoke by F. C Ogbalu, Ofunna, A Chọwa Isi Ọchụ and Onye 
Chi ya Akwatughị by C. E Ọfọmata. Furthermore, the data for this study were also drawn from daily 
conversations and discourses. The findings of the study reveal that grammaticalization of the verb sị 
'say' is language internal phenomenon and it can undergo grammaticalization as a result of its varied 
semantic meaning changes and the different grammatical roles it plays in the syntactic structures as 
evidenced in the study. The study has demonstrated that sị is gradually ripping off its lexical features 
to perform different grammatical function such as complementizer and pronoun. Phonological 
change is also observed in the tone of sị. It also has an agentive subject and a recipient as its 
subcategorization requirements.  It obeys the ATR rule that operates in the language. The tone 
marking convention adopted in this work is Green and Igwe (1963).The present study serves as a 
reference point in an attempt to further expand the frontier of research in grammaticalization as well 
as in Igbo language scholarship in general.
Keywords: Grammaticalisation, Verb, Syntagmatic Variability, Bondedness, Paradigmatic.

1. Introduction
Obviously, the lexicons of a language are constituted by the words of that language. They are 
fundamentally base, because they perform different grammatical functions in the syntactic structures 
of the languages, hence, they can be classified into different word classes. In the historical 
development of languages, there exists a phenomenon called linguistic change. During the 
developmental stages, a number of changes and innovations are taking place. These changes do not 
only affect the lexicons and the phonology of words in a language, it also affects the grammar of the 
language.

In various languages of the world, a number of lexical verbs have undergone changes in use, forms, 
meanings and functions in the historical development as a result of grammaticalization. For instance, 
some verbs have undergone changes from lexemes to auxiliaries, complementizers and tense, while 
others encode temporal constituency of a situation. This implies that in grammaticalization, lexical 

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items can loss their meanings to grammatical functions. Grammaticalization can be seen as the 
gradual historical development of function morphemes from content morphemes (Fintel, 1995).  

In Igbo, the verb sị means 'say' in English. It is always used in its expression manner; hence, it has 
expressive value. It is a simple monosyllabic root verb. It belongs to the class of verb which 
Mmadike (2015:120) classifies as ''verbs of speaking''. The verb sị is typically, a verb of 
communication. Mensah (2012:18) affirms that it always ''focuses on the communication of a 
message by the subject rather than illocutionary force''. He further adds that it has an agentive 
subject and a direct object or a recipient as its sub-categorization requirements. It should be noted 
that sị 'say' is the basic form in Igbo language, but over a time in different contexts, it has undergone 
different semantic changes in the syntactic constructions to perform different grammatical 
functions such as conjunction, complementizer, introducer of embedded clauses. The paper is 
organised as follows: section one is the introduction, section two treats the concepts of 
grammaticalization, section three presents a brief overview of Igbo verbs and studies on 
grammaticalization in Igbo, section four is the methodology while section five forms the data 
analysis and section six is the conclusion

2.    The Concept of Grammaticalisation: An Overview
Historically, there were earlier studies on grammaticalization which were carried out at different 
phases by different scholars. Such studies include Condillac (1746), Bopp (1816, 1833), Schlege 
(1818), Humboldt (1825), Wüllner (1831), Whitney (1875) and Gabelentz (1901). Of all these 
studies, the term 'grammaticalization' is credited to a French linguist Meillet (1958) because he was 
the person who coined the word, published in 1912, to refer to ''attribution of grammatical character 
formerly autonomous word'' Then, Meillet was interested in identifying how new categories and 
system change arise. It was observed that many grammatical items originate as lexical wordsand 
over a time these tend to bleach. Grammaticalization has gained popularity in linguistics since the 
seminal work by Christian Lehmann's Thought on Grammaticalisation which was first published in 
1982, republished and expanded in 1995, 2002 and 2015.

The concept of grammaticalisation has been variously defined by different scholars according to 
each individual's perspective. But whatever may be one's orientation concerning the term, the 
general consensus is that grammaticalisation is the process of language change whereby lexical 
items and constructions come in certain linguistic contexts to perform grammatical functions, and 
once grammaticalized, the lexical items continue to develop new grammatical functions. In other 
words, it is also the process of language by which words representing objects and actions (that is, 
nouns and verbs) become grammatical markers such as affixes, prepositions, tense, modals, and so 
on. This process tries to create new function words other than deriving them from existing bound 
inflectional constructions, instead, deriving them from content word. Grammaticalization is linked 
with the following processes: semantic bleaching, morphological reduction, phonetic erosion and 
obligatorification. This implies that a number of semantic, syntactic and phonological processes 
interact in grammaticalisation of morpheme of whole constructions. For instance, the old English 
verb willan (to want, to wish) which has become the modern English auxiliary verb will expresses 
intension or simple futurity. The process by which the word leaves its word class and enters another 
is not sudden, but occurs by a gradual series of individual shift. The overlapping stages of 
grammaticalization form a chain which is generally called a cline. These shifts generally follow the 
same patterns in different languages. It is believed that the stages on the clines do not have a fixed 
position, but vary. Note that the movement along the cline may be partial or complete. Hopper and 
Traugott (1993) illustrate the pattern of the cline of grammaticalization by various stages of form 
thus:

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Lehmann points that some of these parameters correlate positively, others negatively. As 
grammaticalisation increases, the parameters of cohesion increase as well, while parameters of 
weight and variability decrease. These six parameters are not processes but properties of signs. We 
shall not go into detail discussion of each of the above parameters. But one thing noteworthy is that 
the above six parameters of linguistic sign are criteria insofar as they can be used to order two 
functionally similar syntagms on a grammaticalization scale. They are parameters insofar as 
grammaticalization may be measured along each of them; it may be verified to degree they correlate.

3.    Brief Overview of Igbo Verb
As it obtains in other natural languages, verb plays significant roles in the grammar of many 
languages, and Igbo language is not excluded. The verb category is the most prominent word class in 
the Igbo language. This implies that the grammar of the language centres on the verb. Nwachukwu 
(1983), Mbah (2006; 2011) and Mbagwu and Eme (2007) affirm that the Igbo language is a verb 
language. Obiamalu and Mbagwu (2014) emphasize that the category verb highly contributes to the 
derivation of words in the language, there does not seem to be any lexical category that contributes to 
the derivation of Igbo verb. The Igbo verb category has attracted the attention of many Igbo scholars 
which made them to carry out various studies concerning the category and its classification in 
language over the years. The works of scholars such as Emenanjo (1975a), (1975b), (1978), (2005) 
and (2015); Nwachukwu (1983), (1984), Uwalaka (1982), Ubahakwe (1976)   have built a 
foundation for treatment of the verb category in the Igbo language. For instance, Nwachukwu 
(1984) classifies the Igbo verbs under the following: dynamic, stative and copula verbs. Emenanjo 
(2005) attempts the classification of Igbo verbs into five categories namely general complement 
verbs (GCVS), inherent complement verbs (ICVS), bound complement verbs (BCVS), 
prepositional phrase compliment verbs (PPCVS) and ergative complement verbs (ECVS).

In the study of the semantics of the Igbo verbs, Uwalaka (1988) in her analysis recognizes six classes 
of verbs namely: action verbs, verbs of occurrence, experiential verbs, verbs of quality, locative 
verbs, identificatory and equative verbs. Almost all these classes have sub-classes.Uwalaka (1988) 
studies verbs of speaking in Igbo and categorises them as a sub-group of experimental verbs. She 
claims that only animate NP can function as the subject of such a verb (Uwalaka 1988:149). 
Mmadike (2015) in the study of the verb of speaking claims that semantically verb of speaking 
constitutes a coherent class of verbs specifically used for verbal process in the human act of 
speaking. He further adds that there is usually a speaker who reports the speech of the sayer (the 
subject NP) as direct or indirect. Uchechukwu (2011:1-4) divides the structure of Igbo verbs into the 
following: simple verbs, compound verb: [verb + verb] and [verb +suffix] and verbal complex: 
[verb + noun phrase] or [verb + prepositional phrase]. Anyanwu and Iloene (2004) identify some 
Igbo verbs which lack semantics content or which are semantically opaque or indeterminate. They 
used two tests to identify imperativization and pronunciation. The verbs include: gba, kpọ, da and 
kwa. The verbs are liable to more than one interpretation expect they occur with an appropriate 
nominal element as in: 

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Content word grammatical word clitic inflectional affix
Heine, Claudi and Hünnemeyer (1991) who support that grammaticalization has to do with a lexical 
item assuming a new grammatical meaning illustrate their contention using data from Ewe, a 
language belonging to the Kwa branch of the Niger- Congo family spoken in Eastern Ghana, 
Southern Togo and Southern Benin.
  1a.    me-ná ga Kofi.
          ISG-give    money   Kofi.
           I gave kofi money.

b.    me-pie  βɔtrúnákofi.
          ISG-buy  door         give     Kofi.
          I bought a door and gave it to Kofi or  
          I bought a door for Kofi.

c.     me-wɔdɔvévíénádódókpɔlá.
          ISG-do   work   hard      give     exam       DEF.
          I worked hard for the exam.

From the data in (1), Heine, Claudi and Hünnemeyer remark that the verbna'give' assumes a 
grammatical meaning of the prepositional notion for or to in certain contexts as exemplified in (1a 
and b) respectively. Furthermore, cross linguistically, the verb go which is attested in different 
natural languages of the world is commonly used as an example to confirm how it develops from a 
lexical to a grammatical status to indicate future marker or future auxiliary verb in different 
languages. Following this, Uchechukwu (2012) illustrates his contention using the examples below.
 2a. Uche goes to school every Monday.
 b. Uche is going to school on Monday.
 c. Uche is going to read that book.

From the examples, the verb go in sentence (2a) is a full verb, a motion or change of location verb. In 
(2b), it indicates future while in sentence (2c), it also indicates future meaning. In the data, it seems 
that the verb go does not involve any physical motion of going to the location of the book, but Uche 
shall surely read it. From the data in (2),Uchechukwu affirms that the same similar variations are 
obtained in the meaning of the Igbo verb -ga 'go'. From his analysis, he concludes that the verb ga 'go' 
can develop from a full verb ga 'go' to future auxiliary marker 'shall/will' to indicate auxiliary gà 
'must/might'.

Lehmann (2015: 132) proposes six parameters of grammaticalization as indicated in table 1:
Table 1: Parameters of Grammaticalization

 

                            
AXIS 

 

 Paradigmatic Syntagmatic 
Weight Integrity Structural scopes 
Cohesion Paradigmaticity Bondedness 
Variabi lity Paradigmatic 

variability 
Syntagmatic 
variability 

 

PARAMETER 

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3.a. gba-Ezègbàrà                               ‘‘Eze 
 

b. kpọ-Ezè kpọ̀rọ̀                        ‘‘Eze 
 
 
 
 
 

egwu      

m̀gba      

egbe          

ọsọ  

ọb̀àra ̀

danced 

wrestled 

Shut a gun              

ran      

bleed 

ọkụ 

òkù  

anwụrụ̀

ụg̀a 

burnt (something)    

called (somebody)     

took some stuff              

played a kind of        

clapping game 

Furthermore, Udemmadu's (2015) carries out the study of the verb sị 'say' as a pronoun in the Igbo 
language. In her discussion, she argues that si ̣ belongs to impersonal or indefinite pronoun. With data 
drawn from intuition as a native speaker and adopting the descriptive approach, the author found out 
that the verb can function as a pronoun in the Igbo language and that it can take only the subject 
position in a sentence. The study concludes that since sị 'say' has all the qualities of a pronoun 
following from its syntactic position and grammatical function, and the fact that it cannot take the 
position just like other impersonal pronoun in the language, it can be categorised as an impersonal or 
indefinite pronoun. 

Other empirical works adopting Lehmann's (2015) framework are Uchechukwu's (2008) study of the 
grammaticalization of prepositional markers in Igbo using the Igbo verb root nye 'give' and 
Uchechukwu's (2011) discussion of grammaticalization of the copula verb nọ̀. While the former uses 
the verb root nye to illustrate the process of grammaticalization which according to him involves 
category change of the second verb in a compound verb structure from a V1 + V2 construction to a 
verb + suffix configuration exploring the literal and figurative uses of the verb. The study concludes 
that: 

The parameters of grammaticalization at both the syntagmatic and the paradigmatic levels, 
shows that there is a loss in the weight and variability of the structure -nyé, but a gain in 
cohesion. As the second component of a compound verb formation, -nyé loses in para-
digmatic integrity and structural scope and can no longer function as a full verb in this 
context: instead, it becomes obligatory in the identified V2 context. In addition, its structural 
scope narrows to a VP instead of its clausal level structural scope as a main verb. However, 
these losses in weight and variability are counterbalanced by a gain in paradigmatic and 
syntagmatic cohesion. Paradigmatically, there is a formal and semantic integration of 
nyéwithin a group of 'prepositional markers,' whose syntagmatic quality is bound to the 
identified V2 context for the expression of prepositional meanings. (Uchechukwu, 2008:404)

The later, Uchechukwu (2011), concludes that the copula verb no ̣̀ is still undergoing the process of 

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grammaticalization, thus further investigation in this regard is required. 
The foregoing has presented an overview of grammaticalization and empirical works on Igbo verbs. 
The subsequent section discusses grammaticalization of the verb si 'say' using Lehmann's (2015) 
parameters.

4. Methodology
The data for the study come from both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were 
made up of data largely drawn from recording of natural occurring speeches of the Igbo native 
speakers during conversations, discourses and meetings. The researchers also added their intuitive 
knowledge for some data. For the secondary sources, insights were gained from these literature texts 
Chi Ewere Ehihie Jie, Emecheta and Nkọlị by J.U.T Nzeako, Dimkpa Taa Akụ, Ebubedike and 
Ụwaezuoke by F. C Ọgbalụ, Ofunna, A chọwa Isi Ọchụ and Onye Chi Ya Akwatughị by C. E 
Ọfọmata to sieve out how the verb sị is employed in the texts to perform different grammatical 
functions respectively. Furthermore, the data for this study were also drawn from daily conversations 
and discourses. Also, materials from journal articles, textbooks and internal materials constitute the 
sources of the data for the study. The data collected were carefully analyzed using parameters of 
Lehmann's (2015) aspects of grammaticalization as a theoretical framework.

The tone marking convention adopted in this work is that of Green and Igwe (1963) where low [ ` ] 
(L), and downstep [ -] (DS) tones are marked, while high tone [ ́  ] (H) tone is left unmarked

5. Data Analysis
5.1 The Grammaticalisation of the Verb Sị 'Say'
In this section, the literal usage of the verb sị 'say' is explained for a better understanding of the verb 
before discussing the parameters of grammaticalization. Following Igwe (1999), the verb si ̣ is 
glossed as say; tell; talk; talk spitefully about (an absent person); backbite; gossip. The following 
examples show the literal use of the verb and the additional meaning when it is suffixed to a verb root.
(4) Sị Chioma bìa
 Say Chioma come
 'Tell Chioma to come'

(5) Chioma si ̣ nà ọ gà-àbia  echī
 Chioma say COMP PRO FUR-come tomorrow
 'Chioma said that she will come tomorrow' 

(6)  Agadīnwaanyị ̀ ahụ̀sị Onyenekeya kà o  bìliekà ha  
old      woman that toldOnyenekeyaCOMP PRO riseCOMPthey 
 laa ngwa n̄gwā
 go quick quick
 'The old woman told Onyenekeya that he should rise so that they can go quickly'.

5.2.Analysis of Data Using Aspects of Grammaticalization Parameters in Table 1 to 
Show the Process of Change of the Verb Sị
Here, aspects of grammaticalization parameters will be used to analyse the data. Lehmann (2015), 
states that the fundamental aspects of every linguistic operation are the paradigmatic and the 
syntagmatic aspects; i.e. the selection and combination of linguistic sign. Using these parameters, 
the paradigmatic aspects of sị will be discussed, thereafter, the syntagmatic aspects will follow.

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5.2.1. The Paradigmatic Aspects of Sị
The paradigmatic weight of a sign viewed paradigmatically is its integrity. It involves the processes 
of phonological attrition and desemanticisation (Heine 1993; Lehmann, 2002:114) or loss of 
semantic components/features. It is observed that in examples (4) - (6) the verb si ̣ maintains its 
identity with regard to its meaning as say, tell, talk, told and a high tone. Thus, semantic and 
phonological integrity are maintained in the sentences where it functions as a main verb and 
subordinating clause as in example (7). However, there is a semantic loss in integrity when there is a 
remarkable decrease in the semantic integrity and/or semantic reduction as in examples (8), (9) & 
(10) where it changes its meaning from 'say' to complementizer,supposing, let, thought, if, someone, 
and ask.
(7) Ọ ̀ jụ̀ọ Ezindù  sị,  "Òleē ihe i sī     nà     o      mèrè?''
 PRO ask Ezindu  say, “what thing    PRO say COMP PRO do-rV?
 S/he asked Ezindu saying, what did you said that s/he did? 

 (8). Ezènnànya kwuo  sị nà ihe kpātārā  ọn̄yā
 Ezennanya speak  COMP that  thing  cause   injury 

            dị ̄ n̄'ūkwū,  kpàtàrà  imēkā   yā
            be PREP-leg,  cause   wounding/damaging   it
            'Ezennanya said that what causes injury in the leg, causes its re-opening' 

(9) Ò sị,  “a  sị nà  m nwèrè nwa,  ò  so   m̄  b ị a  
PRO said “PRO  say that PRO have child,    PRO follow PROcome

 n'ubī  à”
 PREP-farm DET.
 S/he said, supposing/assuming I have a child, s/he would have followed me to this    
            farm 

(10) Ụmụ̄ Kasìe ùgbu à  nọ̀ kà nwambē nyụ̄rụ̄  ahụ̀,  à 
        PL  Kasie             now stay like tortoise  pollute-rV fart, PRO  
 
        sị  sị kpùchie akā n̄'īmī 
        say let cover  hand PREP-nose
        Now Kasie's children are staying like tortoise that farted, someone says let cover the    
        nose with hands.

In examples (8), (9) & (10) above, the meaning changes from 'say' to 'complementizer, 'supposing' 
and 'let' respectively. However, in examples (11-13) below, there is a reduction in the phonological 
integrity that is, from high to low and downstep tones. Heine and Reh (1984:21) call it phonological 
attrition which is described as the successive subtraction of phonological features. In thisinstance, 
there is a loss of a suprasegmental feature, which is a high tone to a downstep tone.
(11)    Obìnnà yipùrù  akpukpọukwū yā chịsa ǹ'àlà  ebe a       
           Obinna remove-rV shoe  PRO kept PREP-ground place DET

          sị̄ hā ràhụ ǹ'èzi.
          told DET sleep PREP-outside
       'Obinna removed his shoes and kept them on the ground and told them to sleep outside'

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(12)  Sị  sị̄  ya bị̀a
  IMP say PRO come

'Someone should tell him/her to come'

(13) Chioma sị̀rị̀ sị sị hā chère
 Chioma say-rV COMP say them wait
            'Chioma said that they should be told to wait'

5.2.2 The Paradigmaticity of -sị
It refers to the degree to which it enters a paradigm and is integrated into it and dependent on it. In 
other words, in paradigmatic cohesion, there is semantic integration of the members of a paradigm 
which can be linked to each other by paradigmatic relations with some semantic basis. There is 
homogeneity when sị is used with similar composition with other words. For instance, in examples 
(14-16) below:
(14)  Sị   gòtere m̄ n̄rī
  Someone buy PRO food
 'Someone should buy edible food for me'
(15)  Sị  yā bị̀a
 Tell PRO come
 'Tell him to come'

(16)   Sị  sị yā bị̀a
 IMP say PRO come

'Someone should tell him/her to come'

The homonymous nature of si ̣ makes it to function as a verb and a pronoun. Observe also its 
grammatical role in examples (17) & (18) below:

(17)  Ihe bụ̄ ụt̀ o ijè bùe  jechaa  sị ́ lọt̀ a
 Thing be sweet journey be PRO go-complete let  come back 

'The sweetness of a journey lies in going and coming back'

(18) N'ime izù àto ahụ,̀   a sị ́  m̄  kwùo…
  PREP week three that, PRO if I speak…
  'During that week, if I'm asked to speak…

5.2.3. The Paradigmatic Variability of si ̣  
The paradigmatic variability refers to language user's freedom of choosing other signs as a whole in 
its place or omitting it entirely. That is to say, the extent to which the sign has become obligatory in 
the system. This grammaticalization process occurs when the use of linguistic structures becomes 
increasingly more obligatory. See examples (19) and (20) below:

(19)  O   kwùrù  nà ọ ̀  gaghị ̄  ābịā̄
 PRO  speak-rV COMP PRO go-NEG come

'S/he said that s/he will not come' 

 (20)  Ọ   sị̄  nà ọ ̀  gaghị ̄  ābịā̄
 PRO  speak-rV COMP PRO go-NEG come

'S/he said that s/he will not come'

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It is observed that in example (19) si ̣ is omitted and the verb kwu 'speak' is used in its stead giving the 
meaning of said. In this case, the language user has the freedom to choose other verbs as in 
exemplified in (19) to take the place of the verb sị as used in example (20).

5.3. Syntagmatic Aspects of Sị
This involves the syntagmatic weight/structural scope of a linguistic sign, syntagmatic 
cohesion/bondedness and syntagmatic variability. The structural scope refers to the structural size of 
the construction it can help to form. The structural size decreases with increasing 
grammaticalization; while the bondedness refers to the closeness of a structure to another structure 
with which it bears a syntagmatic relation, the syntagmatic variability refers to the ease with which a 
sign can be shifted around with respect to those constituents with which it forms a construction. 
There is a reduction in this quality with increasing grammaticalization. All these parameters will be 
used to examine the verb sị.

5.3.1. The Structural Scope of Sị
Si ̣has a full structural scope of a main verb at the syntagmatic level. However, it can function as a 
complementizer and introducer at the clausal level. For instance, in example (21) it has the whole 
sentence as its structural scope, while in example (22) it reduces its scope to function as an 
introducer.
(21)   Ọ ̀ sịr̀ ị ̀   gịnị̄?
         PRO say-rV  what?
        'What did s/he say'?

(22) Ọ  sị̄,  “Nnà  lèe, adị ̀ m ndụ̀”
 S/he say, “Father  see be PRO alive”
 'S/he said, “Father see, I am alive”' 

5.3.2. The Bondedness of Sị 
The verb sị has close affinity with verbs of speaking such as kwu'talk', gwa'tell', ju'ask', e.t.c., hence it 
co-occurs with them. Although, it is independent as a main verb, it is also structurally bonded as an 
introducer or complementizer in sentences. Observe in the example below:
(23)   Ọ gwàrà/kwùrù/jụ̀rụ̀  ya  si…
 PRO tell/speak/ask-rV  him/her say
 'S/he told/spoke/asked him/her that…'

5.3.3. Syntagmatic Variability of Sị
With regard to variability, si can be possibly shifted around the constituents with which it forms 
construction. In comparing sentences (23) & (24), it is observed that sị has the freedom of 
functioning as the main verb as in example (25).
(24) Ọ sị̄ sị̄ gwa/jụ̀ọ yā
 PRO say that tell/ask  him/her
 'S/he said that we should tell/ask him/her'

(25)  Sị yā  jụ̀ọ yā
 Tell him/her ask  him/her
 'Tell him/her to ask him/her

The foregoing shows that the structural scope decreases with increasing grammaticalization. There 

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seems to be a reduction in the quality of the verb being shifted around among constituents in a 
construction as it increases in grammaticalization.

Conclusion
The study investigated the verb si ̣ in order to find out if it can undergo the process of 
grammaticalisation using the parameters of Lehmann's (2015) aspects of grammaticalization. 
Consequent upon the foregoing, it is observed that the verb understudy can undergo the process of 
grammaticalization obviously seen in the varied meaning changes and the grammatical role it plays 
in structures as shown in the study. This study has also demonstrated that si ̣ is gradually ripping off its 
lexical features to acquiring grammatical features such as pronoun which was confirmed by 
Udemmadu (2015) and as complementiser which was affirmed by Mmadike (2015), although not 
along the lines of grammaticalization.

REFERENCES
Anyanwu, N. O and Iloene, M. I. (2004). “Verb of planting and harvesting in Igbo: The Ngwa

and Obimo dialects example.” In Ndimele, O. M. (ed). Language and culture in Nigeria. A 
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