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Reduplication in Nisgha

University of British Columbia

Nisgha exhibits diverse reduplication types, each type displaying consonant and vowel variation. This thesis investigates the phonological properties of these reduplication types and accounts for them in an autosegmental framework. In particular, the reduplication types are examined in Marantz's framework, as presented in "Re Reduplication" (1982). In accordance with Marantz's principles, this thesis represents Nisgha reduplication as the affixation of a skeletal morpheme to which a copy of the phonemic melody is associated. Certain reduplication types are problematic for this approach, and for these, an alternative approach is discussed. In general, the thesis covers (i) a brief description of Nisgha phonology (ii) a descriptive account of reduplication types and the relevant rules (iii) a comparison with the analysis of Tarpent (1983) (iv) an autosegmental treatment of reduplication, using Marantz's framework. Two reduplication types present a problem for Marantz. One of these types can be handled by abandoning Marantz's C-V skeleton and employing instead a skeletal tier consisting of empty sequential points, as proposed by Lowenstamm and Kaye (1983). For the second reduplication type, various approaches are suggested, none of which is without its problems. In fact, this type proves to be problematic not only to Marantz but to autosegmental theory as a whole.

Text

2010-05-31

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/25237

Linguistics

University of British Columbia

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