Diminutive Noun Class in Bantu Languages: Is Kiswahili Deviant?

Abstract

Noun class prefixes ki-/vi- and ka-/tu- found in Bantu diminutives are widespread despite claims that these affixes are missing in Kiswahili. This study was qualitative, employing data from Kiswahili native speakers, selected literary works of art written in Kiswahili by Kiswahili speakers, and Kiswahili chat messages from WhatsApp forums of Kiswahili speakers. The study reveals that Kiswahili speakers use ka- and tu- affixes in addition to ki-/vi- to form diminutives. These affixes may attach to noun stems as in ka-toto/tu-toto ‘tiny child/tiny children’; or may attach to prefixed stems as pre-prefixes as in ki-m-nazi ‘small/short coconut tree’ and vi-mi-nazi ‘small/short coconut trees. The study findings also reveal that the noun class prefixes trigger agreement on modifiers and verb complexes regardless of their forms as prefixes or pre-prefixes as observed in ki-toto ki-moja ki-zuri ‘one pretty little girl’; or in ka-dada ka-na-miliki-gari ‘pretty little girl owning a car’ where the ki- and ka- on the subject noun stems (-toto and -dada) re-surface as subject markers (SMs) on the modifiers -moja ‘one’ and -zuri ‘pretty’; and on the verb complex -na-miliki ‘owning’. These facts provide strong support for arguing that Kiswahili projects special diminutive affixes in class 12/13 that triggers agreement on other modifiers.