Thematic Roles of Motion Verbs in Hausa: A Theta-Theoretic Analysis of Jiki Magayi

Citation: Isa, A. U. (2025). “Thematic Roles of Motion Verbs in Hausa: A Theta-Theoretic Analysis of Jiki Magayi.” In Ɗunɗaye Journal of Hausa Studies, Vol. 03, No. 02, Pp. 83 – 91. www.doi.org/10.36349/djhs.2025.v03i02.010.

THEMATIC ROLES OF MOTION VERBS IN HAUSA: A THETA-THEORETIC ANALYSIS OF JIKI MAGAYI

By

Adama Umar Isa

Department of Languages and Linguistics University of Maiduguri

Abstract:

This study examines the thematic (theta) roles of literal motion verbs in Hausa, using Theta Theory within the Government and Binding framework as the analytical lens. Twenty (20) literal motion verb examples were drawn from the (1933) Hausa Literary Competition novel Jiki Magayi. The research identifies the theta roles assigned to subjects, complements, and adjuncts, focusing on Theme, Goal, Source, Path, and Co-Theme. Findings show that Hausa motion verbs systematically assign these roles, with subjects consistently functioning as Themes. Goal and Path expressions appear as obligatory or optional complements, while comitative and manner phrases serve as adjuncts without violating the Theta Criterion. The analysis demonstrates that Hausa motion verbs exhibit a transparent mapping between semantic roles and syntactic positions, highlighting the interaction between syntax and semantics in a Chadic language context.. 

Keywords: Hausa, motion verbs, theta theory, thematic roles, syntax-semantics interface

Introduction

Motion verbs play a crucial role in Hausa narratives, driving plot progression through the depiction of characters' actions and interactions with their environment. Although Hausa syntax has been described in previous studies (Newman, 2000; Jaggar, 2001), there remains limited research on the semantic-syntactic interface, particularly regarding the theta-role assignment of motion verbs. Theta Theory posits that verbs assign thematic roles to their arguments, providing a structured mapping of semantic roles to syntactic positions. This study examines how Hausa motion verbs in Jiki Magayi distribute theta roles, focusing on the interaction between subjects, objects, and directional or locative complements. Most previous studies have focused on the semantic aspects of Hausa motion verbs, with little attention paid to their syntactic structure. This research seeks to bridge that gap by analyzing twenty (20) literal motion-verb constructions from the novel Jiki Magayi, using Theta Theory; focusing on their argument structures and the interplay between syntax and semantics in Hausa.”

About the Novel Jiki Magayi (JM)

The Translation Bureau in Zaria organized a Hausa prose literary competition in 1933, leading to the emergence of the first Hausa novels. Among the five winning entries was Jiki Magayi (JM), published in 1934 and written by J. U. Tafida Wusasa and R. M. East. The 51-page novel combines realism and fantasy. Its plot centers on a tragic cycle of love, betrayal, and revenge. Pilaszewicz (1985: 220). Zainabu, originally betrothed to Abubakar, is charmed by Shehu, prompting Abubakar to seek a counter-charm in a mystical forest. During his absence, Zainabu and Shehu have a son, Kyauta, whom Abubakar later corrupts with the potion he obtains. Kyauta becomes delinquent, ultimately killing his own father unknowingly. Upon discovering this, he seeks to avenge himself on Abubakar, but Abubakar dies before Kyauta can reach him. Furniss, G. (1996:32).

Literature Review

Previous studies on Hausa motion verbs have primarily emphasized their semantic, functional, and cognitive dimensions, with limited attention to their syntactic properties. Pawlak (2011) shows how zo ‘come’ and je ‘go’ extend beyond literal meanings but does not examine their theta-role assignment. Askira (2014) focuses on semantic–pragmatic interpretation without analyzing literal motion verbs syntactically. Abdoulaye (2018) discusses clause structure and argument distribution but not theta-theoretic role assignment in literal motion verbs. Adamu and Almajiri (2022) takes a cognitive-semantic approach, while Isa (2025) analyzes phrasal motion verbs descriptively rather than through Theta Theory. Although these works deepen understanding of motion-verb meaning, none provides a detailed theta-theoretic account of literal motion verbs; especially roles such as Goal, Path, Source, and Co-Theme. This study fills that gap by applying Theta Theory to twenty (20) literal motion-verb constructions from Jiki Magayi, examining their argument structure and syntax–semantics interface.

Methodology

The study adopts a qualitative, descriptive methodology suitable for syntactic and semantic analysis of literary texts. The research is designed as a corpus-based linguistic analysis. It focuses on the identification and analysis of pure motion verbs in the Hausa novel Jiki Magayi. Sentences were manually extracted from the novel, noting page and line numbers. Each motion verb is extracted with its surrounding syntactic structure. Theta roles are assigned to each argument based on semantic function following Radford (1988). The motion verbs are grouped according to syntactic and semantic behavior; Simple intransitive motion verbs with Manner adjuncts, Motion verbs with Goal/Locative complements, Motion verbs with Path/Directional complements and Motion verbs with Comitative Complement. Detailed discussion is provided under each group to illustrate the mapping of syntax to semantics. Comparative analysis is conducted to highlight patterns and regularities in theta-role assignment across the corpus.

Theoretical Framework

This study adopts Theta Theory, a component of Government and Binding Theory, as its framework for analyzing how semantic roles are assigned to arguments. Theta Theory explains that all languages grammatically distinguish semantic roles such as Agent, Theme, and Goal (Palmer, 1994:22). A lexical category functions as either a theta-role assigner or receiver (Yusuf, 1998:22), reflecting the semantic relationships within structural representations (Cook & Newson, 2007:80). Lexical entries contain thematic, categorical, sub-categorization, and selectional information (Radford, 1988:372). Common thematic roles; Agent, Theme, Experiencer, Benefactive, Instrument, Locative, Goal, and Source are widely accepted (Radford, 1988; Aarts, 2008:92). Theta Theory operates through two principles: the sisterhood condition and the theta criterion (Cook & Newson, 2007:85). The sisterhood condition states that internal theta roles are assigned by heads to complements, while external roles are assigned via X′ to specifiers, assuming the VP-internal subject hypothesis. The theta criterion requires a one-to-one correspondence between arguments and theta roles (Radford, 1988). Verbs carry theta grids specifying the roles they assign; for example, Hausa tàfi ‘go’ assigns an Agent to its subject and a Goal/Location to its complement. Given that Hausa motion verbs typically occur in SVC structures, Theta Theory provides an appropriate framework. Accordingly, this study focuses specifically on the theta criterion and its application to Hausa motion-verb constructions.

Data Presentation

This section presents the analysis of twenty (20) motion verb examples from Jiki Magayi based on Theta Theory. The data were grouped into four syntactic-semantic clusters: Simple intransitive motion verbs with manner adjunt, Motion verbs with Goal/Locative complements, Motion verbs with Path/Directional complements and Motion verbs with comitative complements. For each cluster, the theta roles of the subject, verb, complements, and adjuncts were identified and discussed.

Simple Intransitive Motion Verbs with Manner Adjuncts

These verbs occur in basic one-argument clauses where the subject functions as the sole Theme. Motion is expressed without specifying direction or destination, and optional manner expressions act only as adjuncts. The theta-grid is therefore minimal and restricted to the Theme.

Example 1: ya taashì da fushi “He got up angrily” (Pg. 8, ln. 22)

ya ‘he’ = Theme

taashì ‘got up’= Verb (Theme only)

da ‘with’ = Adjunct marker

fushi ‘anger’= Manner/Cause adjunct

Example 2: ta tsunkàa a guje. ‘She ran quickly’ (Pg 6, ln. 35)

ta ‘she’ = Theme

tsunkàa ‘quickly dash off’ = Verb (Theme only)

a = Adjunct marker

guje ‘ran’= Manner adjunct

Example 3: suka sheeƙoo a guje ‘They rushed in quickly’ (Pg 28, ln. 16)

suka ‘they’ = Theme

sheeƙoo ‘dash in’ = Verb (Theme only)

a = Adjunct marker

guje ‘running’ = Manner adjunct

Example 4: wani mutum ya zoo ‘A certain man came’ (Pg 11, ln. 28)

wani ‘Someone’= Modifier

mutum ‘a man’= Theme

ya ‘he’= Agreement marker

zoo ‘came’ = Verb (Theme only)

These motion verbs appear in simple intransitive clauses and require only a subject, which receives the sole theta role of Theme. They express motion without indicating direction or destination, and optional manner phrases like a guje or da fushi act as adjuncts rather than arguments. As a result, the theta-grid remains minimal, centered on the Theme and an optional Goal. This cluster illustrates the argument–adjunct distinction in Hausa and shows that bare one-argument motion events are fully grammatical. The absence of a required Goal indicates that these verbs encode general bodily movement, consistent with Radford’s view that theta-role assignment depends on lexical argument structure. The pattern aligns with cross-linguistic unaccusative/unergative behavior, where basic motion verbs assign only a Theme.

Motion Verbs with Goal/Locative Complements

These verbs require both a Theme and a Goal/Locative complement, indicating movement toward an endpoint. Hausa strongly favours destination-encoding, and the verb’s meaning often depends on the specified Goal. The theta-grid is typically <Theme, Goal>.

Example 5: su shìga cikin ƙasa ‘They entered into the world’ (pg. 2 ,ln.3)

 su ‘they’= Theme

 shìga ‘enter’ = Verb (Theme + Goal)

 cikin ‘into’= Goal marker (into)

ƙasa ‘world’ = Goal

Example 6: suka shìga waje ɗaya. ‘They entered the same place’ (pg.3, ln.12)

suka ‘they’= Theme

shìga ‘enter’ = Verb (Theme + Goal)

waje ‘place’= Goal

ɗaya ‘same/one’= Modifier (no theta role)

Example 7: ya koomàa gida. ‘He returned home’ (pg. 17, ln.34)

ya ‘he’ = Theme

koomàa ‘return’ = Verb (Theme + Goal)

gida ‘home’= Goal

Example 8 : ta tàfi gidan su Zainabu.‘She went Zainabu’s house’ (Pg. 8, ln. 13)

ta ‘she’= Theme

tàfi ‘went’= Verb (Theme + Goal)

gidan ‘house’ = Goal

su ‘their’= Possessor (no theta role)

Zainabu = Goal modifier

Example 9 : da ya koomàa gida. ‘When he returned home’ (Pg. 8, ln. 23)

da = Subordinator

ya ‘he’= Theme

koomàa ‘ returned’= Verb (Theme + Goal)

gida ‘home’= Goal

Example 10: ya tàfi wurin Uban Zainabu. ‘He went to Zainabu’s father’ (Pg. 8, ln. 36)

ya ‘he’ = Theme

tàfi ‘went’ = Verb (Theme + Goal)

wurin ‘place of’= Goal marker

Uban ‘father of’= Goal

Zainabu = Modifier

Example 11: ya tàfi da shi gidan wani. ‘He went with him to someone’s house.’ (Pg. 12, ln.5)

ya ‘he’ = Theme

tàfi ‘went’ = Verb (Theme + Goal + Co-Theme)

da ‘with’ = Accompaniment marker

shi ‘him’ = Co-Theme

gidan ‘house’= Goal

wani ‘someone masc.’ = Modifier

Example 12: ya shìga Yale. ‘He entered Yale’ (Pg. 13, ln.6)

ya ‘he’= Theme

shìga ‘enter’= Verb (Theme + Goal)

Yale = Goal

Example 13: ka shìga can cikin Dawan Ruƙuƙi. ‘Enter there into dense forest’ (Pg. 17, ln.27)

ka ‘you 2^nd P.masc.’= Theme

shìga = Verb (Theme + Goal)

can = Goal modifier (location)

cikin = Goal marker

Dawan Ruƙuƙi = Goal

Example 14: suka ìsa wani babban rafi. ‘They arrived at a certain big stream’ (Pg. 19, ln.29)

suka ‘they’= Theme

ìsa ‘arrive’= Verb (Theme + Goal)

wani ‘a certain’= Modifier

babban ‘big’= Modifier

rafi ‘stream’ = Goal

Example 15: ya kan tàfi barga. ‘He usually goes to the horse tethering place’ (pg. 1, ln.5)

ya ‘he’= Theme

kan ‘usually’= Habitual marker

tàfi ‘go’= Verb (Theme + Goal)

barga ‘horse tethering place’ = Goal

These constructions involve two arguments: the subject (Theme) and a Goal/Locative complement. Goal expressions appear as NPs (gida, wuri, gari) or PPs (cikin ƙasa, zuwa mahutarsa). The verb assigns a two-place theta-grid: <Theme, Goal>. Hausa exhibits strong endpoint-oriented motion, where the verb’s meaning often depends on specifying the destination. The Goal complement is semantically and syntactically necessary in many cases. This confirms Hausa’s Goal prominence mirrors patterns in other of verb-framed languages.

Motion Verbs with Path/Directional Complements

These verbs express motion along a trajectory, identifying Path, Source, or Direction. Such complements enrich the semantic structure by highlighting the route rather than only the endpoint. The verb assigns roles to both the Theme and the Path/Source/Direction.

Example 16: ta wucèe ciki. ‘she passed inside’ (Pg 7, ln.17)

ta ‘she’ = Theme

wucèe ‘pass’= Verb (Theme + Path)

ciki ‘inside’ = Path

Example 17: na fìta gida neman sakayyar abin nan. ‘I left home to seek revenge for that matter’(Pg.16 , ln 26.)

na ‘I’ = Theme

fìta ‘left’ = Verb (Theme + Source)

gida ‘home’= Source

neman sakayyar abin nan ‘seeking revenge for that matter’ = Purpose adjunct (no theta role)

Example 18: sai ya juuyàa zuwa mahutarsa. ‘Then he turned back to his resting place’ (Pg. 24, ln.33)

sai ‘then’= Discourse marker

ya ‘he’= Theme

juuyàa ‘turned’= Verb (Theme + Goal)

zuwa ‘to’ = Goal marker

mahutarsa ‘his resting place’= Goal

These verbs denote motion along a trajectory or route. Complements specify Path (e.g., ciki, hanya), Source (departure points, e.g., gida), or Direction (e.g., zuwa + NP). The verbs assign theta roles to both the Theme and the Path/Source/Direction, creating a richer semantic grid than simple intransitive or Goal verbs. Hausa encodes motion trajectories explicitly. Path and Source complements enrich event semantics and demonstrate that motion events in Hausa are not solely endpoint-based. Theta Criterion is maintained, as each argument receives one and only one role. This aligns with Talmy’s (2000) typology: Hausa combines goal- and path-oriented motion encoding.

Motion Verb with Comitative Complement

These constructions introduce an additional participant through the comitative marker dà (“with”). The verb assigns Theme to the subject and Co-Theme to the accompanying entity, often alongside an optional Goal. This results in a theta-grid of <Theme, Co-Theme, and Goal>; it reflects Hausa’s ability to encode shared or accompanied motion.

Examples 19: suka tseerèe da kayan “They ran away with the goods” (pg. 20, ln.28)

 Suka ‘They’= Theme

 tseerèe ‘run away’ = Verb (assigns Theme + optional Co-Theme)

 da ‘with’= Accompaniment marker

 kayan ‘the goods’ = Co-Theme (entity accompanying Theme)

Example 20: ya tàfi da shi gidan wani. ‘He went with him to someone’s house.’ (Pg. 12, ln.5)

ya ‘he’= Theme

tàfi ‘went’= Verb (Theme + Goal + Co-Theme)

da ‘with’= Accompaniment marker

shi ‘him/it’= Co-Theme

gidan ‘house’= Goal

wani ‘someone’ = Modifier

This cluster shows how Hausa motion verbs license multiple participants through the comitative marker dà (“with”). In such constructions, the main verb assigns Theme to the subject, Co-Theme to the accompanying entity, and optionally Goal to a locative complement, producing a theta-grid of <Theme, Co-Theme, and Goal>. Verbs like tserèe ‘run away’ and tàfi ‘go’ frequently appear with comitative complements. In suka tsere da kayan ‘they ran away with the goods’, the subject suka is the Theme, while da kayan is a Co-Theme because the goods move along with the subjects. This shows that Hausa intransitive motion verbs can add an extra participant without changing their valency. Likewise, in ya tafi da shi gidan wani ‘he went with him to someone’s house’, the Theme is ya, gidan wani functions as the Goal, and da shi is a Co-Theme. The simultaneous presence of Goal and comitative phrases demonstrates the structural flexibility of Hausa motion verbs. These constructions enrich the semantics of motion by expressing companionship or shared movement while still respecting Theta Theory’s requirement that each participant receives a distinct thematic role.

Discussions of Findings

The analysis of the twenty (20) selected motion verbs from Jiki Magayi demonstrates several important patterns regarding theta-role assignment in Hausa. Subjects consistently receive the Theme role across all examples, the subjects of motion verbs (e.g., Ya, Ta, Su, Na) function as the entities undergoing motion. This aligns with the prediction that the verb assigns a theta role to its subject, regardless of whether the motion is intransitive (Ya zoo “He came”) or transitive (Suka tserèe da kayan “They ran away with the goods”). Directional or locative complements are assigned Goal or Path roles; Verbs such as ta wucèe ciki (“she passed inside”) and ya shìga Yale (“he entered Yale”) have obligatory directional complements that serve as Goal or Path arguments. These complements are essential in completing the semantic structure of the verb. The findings indicate that Hausa verbs lexically select their directional complements, reflecting the strong verb-complement interface described in Radford (1983).Objects of motion receive Theme roles. In examples like Suka tserèe da kayan (“They ran away with the goods”), the direct object kayan functions as a Theme, as it is the entity affected by the motion. This confirms that motion verbs in Hausa can assign theta roles to more than one argument, and the Theme role can be assigned to both subject and object depending on the verb’s semantics.

Manner expressions function as adjuncts. Examples with manner phrases (Ta tsunkàa a guje “She ran quickly”) show that manner adverbs do not bear theta roles, reinforcing the distinction between arguments and adjuncts in Hausa. This supports Radford’s claim that adjuncts are optional and non-theta-bearing, whereas complements are required for grammaticality.

 In sentences like Na fìta gida neman sakayyar abin nan (“I left home to seek revenge”), the subject receives Theme, the directional complement receives Goal, and the purpose clause is adjunctive. This hierarchical mapping indicates that Hausa supports nested theta-role assignment, where secondary clauses or serial verbs introduce additional semantic layers. Repetition and habituality do not alter theta roles. Example: Ya kan tàfi barga (“He usually goes to the horse tethering place”) shows that habitual aspect markers (kan) do not interfere with theta-role assignment. Subjects still function as Theme, and complements as Goal, highlighting the stability of argument structure across tense/aspect variation.

Overall, the findings confirm that Hausa motion verbs systematically conform to Theta Theory, with clear mappings of subjects, objects, and directional/locative complements to thematic roles. This reinforces the predictive power of theta grids in describing Hausa verb semantics.

Conclusion

The study has shown that motion verbs in Hausa assign theta roles in a predictable and systematic manner. Key conclusions include; Subjects of motion verbs consistently receive the Theme role, whether in simple or complex motion constructions. Directional and locative complements are obligatorily assigned Goal or Path roles, reflecting the verb’s semantic selection. Objects affected by motion, when present, are assigned Theme roles, demonstrating that verbs can assign multiple theta roles simultaneously. Manner adverbs and adjuncts do not bear theta roles, preserving the argument-adjunct distinction. Serial motion verbs or hierarchical constructions show nested theta-role assignment, illustrating the interface between syntax and semantics in Hausa. The analysis confirms that theta-theoretic approaches can effectively account for argument structure in Hausa motion verbs, highlighting the importance of semantic roles in syntactic representation.

Recommendations for Further Research

Future studies may:

1. Extend the analysis to figurative or metaphorical motion verbs in Jiki Magayi.

2. Compare literal motion verbs across other Hausa novels such as Ruwan Bagaja, Shaihu Umar, Idon Matambayi and Ganɗoki.

3. Apply other syntactic theories (e.g., Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG) or Minimalist Program) to validate or contrast findings.

4. Conduct a cross-linguistic comparison of Hausa motion verbs with those of related Chadic languages.

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