The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has offered fresh insight into how German and Yorùbá construct complex verbs, revealing structural differences and notable points of convergence that are expected to shape bilingual learning, translation practice and language teaching in Nigeria and beyond.
The research, conducted by Deborah Ibukun Adeyeye of the Department of Foreign Languages, examined how both languages form multi-part verbs by analysing data from classical texts, including Günter Grass’s Blechtrommel and D.O. Fagunwa’s Igbó Olódùmarè. Although German and Yorùbá stem from entirely different linguistic families, the findings show that both develop complex verbs from multiple elements, but through sharply contrasting mechanisms.
According to the study, German forms complex verbs mainly through derivational morphology, relying on the addition of separable particles or fixed prefixes. Common items such as ab-, aus-, mit- and be-, ver-, ent- alter meaning significantly, expanding the language’s expressive range but also presenting considerable challenges for second-language learners who must master both meaning and separability.
Yorùbá, on the other hand, constructs its complex verbs through processes of composition and contraction, frequently combining full lexical items such as verb + noun, verb + verb or verb + preposition. Adeyeye noted that these constructions follow patterns distinct from German, creating unique learning demands for bilingual speakers whose first language might employ verb formation differently.
Her findings also identified a morpho-syntactic category particular to Yorùbá known as multi-phased verbs. These verbs may be separable or inseparable depending on clause structure, a feature not commonly mirrored in German. The study further classified Yorùbá verbs into syntactically inseparable, separable and multi-phased types, underscoring the complexity of verb behaviour within the language.
Adeyeye emphasised that these structural contrasts have direct implications for teaching. She advised language educators to adopt precise, step-by-step instructional approaches that highlight key differences to avoid transfer errors among learners navigating both languages.
“Understanding these contrasts is essential for effective pedagogy,” she observed, adding that explicit attention to mismatched structures helps improve student comprehension and bilingual competence.
Her work, grounded in the principles of contrastive analysis theory, encourages teachers and learners to recognise areas where cross-linguistic interference might occur and to adopt methods that support clearer, more accurate acquisition of German and Yorùbá verbs.
