THE NOUN PHRASE IN UKWUANI USING X-BAR THEORY

This study investigates the internal structure of the noun phrase (NP) in Ukwuani, an Igboid language spoken in the Ndokwa communities of Delta State, Nigeria, within the framework of X-bar Theory. Although Igbo and many of its dialects are often described as predominantly head-initial, the present study demonstrates that Ukwuani exhibits head-initial, head-final, and head-medial noun phrase configurations depending on grammatical and functional factors. Data for the study were collected from thirty competent native speakers through elicitation, participant observation, and the analysis of natural discourse. The Ibadan 400-word list and supplementary lexical items were employed to ensure adequate representation of relevant noun phrase constructions. Because Ukwuani is a tone language, all relevant lexical items were carefully tone-marked using standard orthographic conventions for high, low, and falling tones. The study examines determiner constructions, adjectival constructions, numeral constructions, quantifier constructions, possessive constructions, plural constructions, compound nouns, and nominalized forms. These structures were analyzed using X-bar principles such as headedness, projection, complement selection, and hierarchical constituency. The findings reveal that post- nominal modification is dominant in Ukwuani, although pre-nominal and medial structures are also attested. The study therefore challenges rigid typological classifications that characterize Igboid languages as uniformly head-initial. It further demonstrates the applicability of X-bar Theory to the syntactic analysis of understudied African languages and contributes to the documentation of Ukwuani syntax.  Keywords: Ukwuani, noun phrase, syntax, X-bar theory, tone, Igboid