The Syntax and Semantics of Phrasal Verbs in Ga

Abstract

This study investigated the syntax and semantics of Ga phrasal verbs. It examined the basic elements that constitute the Ga phrasal verb and focused on the various manifestations of the phrasal verb in respect of its transitivity. The study also discussed the meanings of the phrasal verbs through the lens of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT), as well as their idiomaticity and polysemy. Data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources, and the entire study was rooted in the Conceptual Metaphor Theory. A purely descriptive and qualitative research, the study revealed three main findings: first, the Ga phrasal verb – as a single semantic unit that expresses idiomatic meaning – comprises two main parts: the verbal element and the post-verbal element. Second, Ga phrasal verbs can be categorized into three syntactic types, namely intransitive, mono transitive and di-transitive. A few of the phrasal verbs, however, can be considered ambi-transitive or transitive-intransitive. Third, Ga phrasal verbs express both basic/literal and metaphorical/figurative meanings, and are usually not polysemous owing to their high idiomaticity. These findings hold significant implications for the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, pedagogy, language documentation and further syntax and semantics research on Ga phrasal verbs