ENGLISH LOANWORD IN KOLOKUMA

This paper discusses the phonology of Kolokuma-English loanwords. Kolokuma is a Norh-Central Ijoid-Lect, within the Niger Congo Phylum. It is spoken in the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The objective of this study is to investigate and examine how loanwords from English are adapted in Kolokuma using the Optimality Theory. The study showed that the language does not allow consonant clusters in the onset or coda positions. It also showed that closed syllables are prohibited in the language. It was further demonstrated that open syllables, simplex and voice assimilation are achieved through coda adjustment, cluster simplification and neutralization strategies, using the markedness and faithfulness constraint interactions in Optimality Theory. {"references": ["Aronoff, M.& Fudeman, K. (2008). What is Morphology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.", "Bolaji, E. T, (2016), 'Constraint interaction in phonology of Urhobo \u2013 English loan words? In Odebunmi, Akin etal (eds) Grammar, applied linguistics and society: A festschrift for Wale Osisanwo. Ile-Ife: Obafeni Awolowo University. Pp 207 \u2013 221", "Crystal, D. (1991). The Cambridge encyclopedia of language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.", "Ejele, P.(2014). An introductory Course on language. Port Harcourt: Gitelle Press Ltd.", "Ifode, S.(2008). An introduction to language in History and society. Port Harcourt: University of Port Harcourt Press.", "Jackson, H. (2007). Key terms in linguistics. Landon: Continuum. Katjie, Mahlangu. M.A Thesis. Adoption of Loanwords in Isindebele, faculty of Arts, University of Pretoria", "Kammelu, N.C(2006). The phonology of borrowed words from English to Igbo. In Odebunmi, Akin etal (eds) Grammar, applied linguistics and society: A festschrift for Wale Osisanwo. Ile-Ife: ObafeniAwolowo University. Pp 195 \u2013 206", "Matthews, P.H (2007). Oxford concise dictionary of Linguistics. London: Oxford University Press.", "Ndimele, O-M. (2008). Morphology and syntax. Port Harcourt: M & J Grand Orbit Communication Ltd.", "Niclas, B. (2001). Loanword phonology in Jahai. Lund University, Department of Linguistics. Working papers 48. Pp 5-14", "Youngsun, K. (2002). Coda duster simplification and its interactions with other coda processes in Korean. Working Papers of the Cornell Phonetic Laboratory. 14. Pp 82 \u2013 112."]}