Etulo Verbs of Consumption

Abstract

This study investigates the verbs of consumption in the Etulo language. Verbs of consumption are those that express the act of ingesting substances into the body. The study aims to identify Etulo verbs used to indicate substance intake and to examine co-occurrence restrictions between these verbs and their objects. Data for this study were collected from native Etulo speakers in Adi, Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Through a descriptive analysis of the collected data, the study reveals that, in the Etulo language, both the substance being consumed and the manner of consumption play a crucial role in determining the co-occurrence of verbs with their object complements. In contrast, the consumer is typically not considered in most consumption expressions in the language. The study concludes that co-occurrence restrictions exist among Etulo verbs of consumption, highlighting the language’s sensitivity to the type of substance and the mode of ingestion rather than the identity of the consumer.