0 ``COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NEGATIVE CONSTRUCTIONS IN STANDARD YORUBA AND Ẹ̀ GBA DIALECT Issa O. Sanusi, Ph.D. Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, University of Ilorin, Ilorin. E-mail: sanusissa2@yahoo.com and Ọlatubọsun C. Ọmọlewu Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, University of Ilorin, Ilorin. E-mail: omolewu@yahoo.com Abstract This paper compares negative constructions in Standard Yoruba (SY) and Ẹ̀ gba dialect (ẸD) using the Principles and Parameters theory as a theoretical framework. A major finding of this study is that while ‘ma’ is attested as a negative marker in SY, it is attested as a progressive marker in ẸD. It is also found that, the negative marker ‘ko’ is the only negative marker in SY that has variants ‘ko’ and ‘o’; but all negative markers in ẸD except ‘ai’ and ‘ti’ have variants. In terms of behaviour and features of these negative markers in different syntactic positions, a lot of differences exist between those that are attested in SY and ẸD, bringing about differences in their negative constructions. The paper concluded that, despite the fact that Ẹ̀ gba dialect is a dialect of Yoruba, a lot of differences were seen in their negative constructions as a result of the differences in the syntactic positions and features of the negative markers attested in the two speech forms. Keywords: Negative Constructions, Standard Yoruba, Ẹ̀ gba Dialect. 1.0 Introduction Yoruba language is one of the major languages spoken in Nigeria. It is widely spoken in the following seven states: Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ọ̀ yọ ́ , Ọ̀ ṣun, Ekiti and kwara. It is also spoken in Delta, Edo and the western part of Kogi State, though the population of Yorùbá speakers in these three states is less than those in the seven states mentioned earlier. According to Center for Word Languages/Language Materials Project, University of California, Los Angeles (www.imp.ucla.edu) (Accessed on December 6 th , 2011) and Oyetade (2011:1-2), Yoruba is spoken by around thirty million (30,000,000) people in Nigeria as a first language. The number rises to thirty-two million (32,000,000) if we include the population of Yorùbá as a second language in Nigeria. Different researches like Fafunwa (2008:1), Adetugbọ ̀ (1982:207-211), Adeyinka (2000:136-154), and Oyetade (2011:12) have shown that Yoruba language is equally spoken in some West African countries like, Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’ Voire. Other places include, Cuba, Brazil, Haiti and Trinidad in the Southern part of America. According to Adeyinka (2000:142), the wide spread of the language has brought about variants in the way the language is spoken in all the areas mentioned above, and it has led to the increase in number of its dialects of which Ẹ̀ gba is one. Despite the numerous dialects of the language, Yoruba has a variant that is accorded more social status than the other dialects. It is referred to as the Standard Yoruba (SY).