Abstract
Understanding the meaning of place names (toponyms) from the way their words are encoded at times pose a problem to the reader or hearer. A study of toponyms is important because, such study gives clues about linguistic evolution of the toponyms, provides insight into the place’s past as well as act as historical and cultural artifacts. The aim of this study is, to conduct a sociolinguistic study of toponyms in the Sokoto metropolis. The objectives of the study are to: Identify the types of toponyms in Sokoto metropolis, classify the toponyms in relation to their linguistic encoding, and to examine how the toponyms are encoded to communicate messages to the audience. Interview, observation, descriptive and analytical methods were used in the data collection and analysis. Among the major findings of the study are that, Associative, Commemorative, Descriptive, and Religious toponyms are the types identified. Associative toponyms which portray occupational skills of the people are the most prominent ones identified. They are, Alkanci,Asarakkawa, MaÉ—unka, Magina, Majema, Marina, MasaÆ™a, MasassaÆ™a. It was also gathered that, except for Asarakkawaand Alkanci, almost all the place names depicting occupation or trade of the people are derived using the same prefix ma- added to the root word (as in majema, maÆ™era, marina, masaÆ™a, masassaÆ™a, maÉ—unka, etc.). The sociolinguistic analysis of the toponyms showcases socio-economic and socio-historical background of the people inhabited at the places. The paper concludes that, sociolinguistic study of toponyms appears effective in disecting the sociolinguistic features of place names for better understanding of their communicative effects.
Keywords: Sociolinguistics, Morphology, Toponym, Sokoto metropolis, language and context
DOI: www.doi.org/10.36349/sojolics.2025.v01i01.033
author/Prof. Muhammad Aliyu SAJO
journal/Sokoto JOLICS 1(1) | June 2025 |
