Language and Meaning: A Study of the Syntactic Patterning in Helon Habila’s Novel, Measuring Time

Abstract

In a literary text, language is studied at different levels comprising the graphological, phonological, syntactic and lexico-semantic levels. This paper explores the significant syntactic parameters which Helon Habila harnesses to convey his artistic visions and sensibilities in Measuring Time, his text under study. As a linguistic component, syntax deals with the arrangement of words in sentences. It is central to language and every language has its own way of word ordering. In this study, the functional sentence types, parallelism and phrases as sentences, among other syntactic features used by the author in the text are identified, analysed, and their artistic functions in the novel are expounded. The Neo-Firthian Systemic grammatical model by M, A. K Halliday is adopted in this study. This paper will be of significance to knowledge because it will stimulate further studies in literature. Moreover, as a linguistic approach to the study of an African novel, it serves as a springboard to researchers in the linguistic study of African novels, in particular and literature in general.

Keywords: Syntactic Patterning, Helon Habila

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-8-07

Publication date: May 30^th 2022