Investigation into the Meaning and Meaning Extension of Non- Nominalized and Nominalized Verbs in Selected Pentecostal Churches

Abstract

This paper examines the meaning of some selected common verbs and when they are subject to nominalization in the context of Pentecostal churches. Data for this study were collected from three selected Pentecostal churches and televised Pentecostal church services accessed through YouTube. The findings of the study reveal that most verbs which are found in other non-religious contexts are subject to semantic change or expansion   when used in the church context. These verbs when they are nominalized, they acquire new meaning which may be very far related to their original meaning. Some nominalized verbs which may be unique in Pentecostalism include mpenyo/upenyo ‘breakthough’, uwepo ‘presence’ and uweza ‘(Gods) ability’ The paper concludes that affixes responsible for nominalization of verbs used in the context of Pentecostalism are in most cases idiosyncratic, inconsistent, unsystematic and unpredictable.