Browsing by Author "Timotheo, Agbert"

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    Phonological processes affecting nouns in Oruhaya
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2020) Timotheo, Agbert
    The study examines the phonological processes that affect nouns in oRuhaya. The study specifically aims to identify the assimilatory and non- assimilatory phonological processes affecting oRuhaya nouns and to state the phonological rules that govern the environments in which the phonological processes occur. The phonological processes were analysed by using standard Model of Generative Phonology proposed by Chomsky and Halle. This work’s focus is cantered on presenting the phonological data using two levels of sound representation and starting the rules to how the surface representation is derived from the underlying representation. The study adopts the descriptive design and data were collected through elicitation, targets word list, and semi-structured interview. The key findings of the study indicate that four phonological processes which affect oRuhaya nouns are a result of assimilation. The processes include; glide formation, homorganic nasal assimilation, vowel nasalisation, and palatalization. Also, the study found three non-assimilatory processes which include; epenthesis, syncope, and apocope. The study further identified that sequence of vowels without an intervening consonant in between in most cases is not preferred in oRuhaya nouns and that native speakers rely on glide formation and epenthesis to resolve hiatus. Since this study is restricted to only oRuhaya nouns, recommendations are for further studies to be conducted on other word categories like verbs, adjectives and the alike.