A LINGUISTIC OVERVIEW OF HAUSA: TYPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

This paper presents a typological account of Hausa, an Afroasiatic language spoken in subSaharan Africa. The paper focuses on word order, relative clauses, order of prepositions, head and dependent marking, information structure, case-marking; and verb fronting, making in most cases, a comparison with languages that exhibit similar and/or contrasting features. There does not seem to be a consensus as to whether Hausa is a head or dependent-marking language. Furthermore, although some accounts propose that Hausa has a case system, this paper identifies itself with the accounts that hold a contrary view. However, it calls for further research in these areas.