Sentence Patterns in Mariama Ba’s <i>So Long a Letter</i>

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to isolate, describe and evaluate sentence patterns in Ba’s So Long a Letter with a view to determining their stylistic significance. Such stylistic devices as foregrounding, sentence fragmentation pattern repetition and category rule violation. The emphasis is on determining how the author’s sentences create aesthetic patterns and values. The Transformational Generative Grammar (TGG) was applied in the analysis of certain aspects of identified literary language. The TGG features were used to describe the sentence patterns. Thus, the paper discusses how sentence patterns/ Structure can create special effects.