MORFOFONEMIESE AANPASSINGS IN DIE SOTHOTALE

Abstract

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size SUMMARY Morphophonemic adjustment in the Sotho languages is a linguistic process in which phonemes interchange concomitantly with the functioning of certain morphemes. In comparing and analysing morphophonemic adjustments in the Sotho languages, some distinctive characteristics appear to be phonologically relevant. These characteristics are labialization for the passive; clustering for the diminutive; palatalization for the causitive; plosivation for nominal deverbatives of classes 9 and 10, the concord of the first person singular, the reflexive i—and adjectives of classes 9 and 10. No distinctive characteristics appear for the variant—ê of the ilê morpheme; the class morphemes le-, me—and bo-; the personal deverbative—i as well as the impersonal deverbative—o.