MORPHO-PHONOLOGICAL EFFECTS IN GIKUYU LANGUAGE REDUPLICATION

Gerald Njuki Muriithi

doi:10.46827/ejals.v3i2.245

Abstract

This research is indispensable as it basically studies how Gikuyu language reduplication patterns can be explained using Prosodic Morphology Theory. It looks at the various types of reduplication in Gikuyu language and seeks to establish if reduplication in Gikuyu is considered morphological reduplication or phonological copying. Word classification as well as the Gikuyu vowels and consonants have extensively been discussed in this paper as a foundation for the reduplication discussion. The study tries to find out the logic worth of reduplication, how reduplication interconnect with morphological and phonological processes, linguistic units associated with this concept and draws conclusion that reduplication in Gikuyu is considered both morphological doubling and phonological copying. The study adopts Prosodic Morphology theoretical approach in reduplication patterns analysis. Gikuyu phonemic catalogue on vowels and consonants as well as the word categorization, that is, nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives has been discussed as a foundation for the research. Reduplication is a morphological process in which there is repetition of a stem or a root of a word in Linguistics. Reduplication is important since it acts as a declension to bring out semantic roles such as lexical derivation, authentication and reinforcement to form new words. Qualitative sampling was done on the word categories and an outcome was established. There were various reduplication patterns in Gikuyu, several semantic patterns associated with it were listed, set out and reviewed. The findings have been scrutinized and analyzed for further recommendations.   Article visualizations:<img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0778/a.php" alt="Hit counter" />

Highlights

This study focused on reduplication in the precincts of the Prosodic Morphology Theory in Gikuyu grammar where different word categories have been tackled such as nouns, verbs and adjectives among others
This study has shown that morpho-phonological reduplication is a broad aspect which can be studied in other African languages and can as well be explored using other theories
Reduplication represents itself in two ways in in Gikuyu dialects, that is, full reduplication and partial reduplication based on Prosodic Morphology theory

Summary

Introduction

Most of them are scattered all over Kenya due to the rural – urban migration in search of jobs, education, skills and better living standards. They are found in various towns such as Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret and other big towns (Njoroge, 2006). Gikuyu language has five dialects comprising of Mathira (Nyeri), Ndia (Southern Kirinyaga), Southern Gikuyu (Murang’a South and Kiambu), Gichugu (Northern Kirinyaga), and Northern Gikuyu (Northern Murang’a). These lexical variation dialects were classified based on the semantic, phonological, linguistic and grammatical variations (Wachera, 2008). This research mainly focused on the five dialects of Gikuyu language (Dawyer, 1997)

Methods

Results

Conclusion