The interface between inflection and derivation in Kinasukuma noun class system
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Date
2014
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The study addresses the interface between inflection and derivation in Kinasukuma noun class system. It aims at describing the inflectional roles of the noun class prefixes. It also seeks to identify the derivational roles of the noun class prefixes in Kinasukuma, and lastly, it assesses the similarities in function between inflection and derivation. To achieve this end, the study employed various concepts including morphology; morpheme and word which were used to construct the framework of this study. Data were collected using schedule, interview and documentary review methods. The collected data were analysed using fragmentation analysis strategy. The findings reveal that in Kinasukuma there is an interface between inflection and derivation in the Kinasukuma noun class system. This means that, it is possible for the noun class prefixes to play both inflectional and derivational roles in Kinasukuma. For instance, some of the singular-plural shifts indicate both contrast in number and meaning. Also, the findings show that when different noun class prefixes are attached to the noun root, various meanings result. Furthermore, the pairing of singular and plural noun classes can also represent both inflectional and derivational roles. Since this study focused only on one category, that is, noun, it is recommended that there is a need to conduct a study to investigate on the interface between inflection and derivation on other linguistic categories such as verbs, adjectives, among others because these are the issues not covered in Kinasukuma dialect.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF PL8694.S94L86)
Keywords
Sukuma language, Inflection, Derivation, Noun class
Citation
Lunyili, P. (2014) The interface between inflection and derivation in Kinasukuma noun class system, Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Dar es Salaam.