Noun formation processes in Nda’nda’
Hugues Carlos Gueche Fotso
Abstract
This paper examines nouns formation processes in Nda’nda’, a little-documented language spoken in Western Cameroon. My concern is to account for the various strategies used by the language to expand its vocabulary in the face of new realities. How are new words created? What are the linguistics transformations loanwords undergo when they enter the language? To answer these questions, data are collected with a wordlist, transcribed in IPA and analyzed in a structural approach. Four lexical enrichment processes are identified here, namely derivation, conversion, borrowing and compounding. Derivation mainly explores how suffixes function in Nda’nda’ in the creation of new words. Conversion from verbs to nouns, though not very productive, is also examined. An analysis of loanwords highlights the phonological, morphological and semantic behavior of the latter in the language. Compounding studies the rules that govern the association of lexical items that exists independently in the Nda’nda’ lexicon.
Key words
Nda’nda’, Grassfields, structural approach, borrowing, derivation, compounding
pp. 3–25
doi 10.37892/2686-8946-2021-2-4-3-25
When Gur class markers are absent: suffix omission in Natioro
Vadim Dyachkov
Abstract
The paper deals with the morphology of class marking in Natioro, an underdescribed Gur language spoken in several villages of Burkina Faso. In Natioro, class markers (which are a typical feature of Gur languages) are frequently omitted in many contexts, such as genitive constructions, as well as NPs modified by adjectives, numerals, and quantifiers. In the paper, I will focus on the morphological (rather than semantic) properties of these constructions. I will show that noun stems occurring in constructions with omitted class markers can be regarded as instances of incorporation. Particular attention will be given to adjectival incorporation. In Natioro, there are two types of adjectival constructions, which can be distinguished by the nature of the stems involved. I will argue that some of the incorporated constructions are derived by merging a noun with a non-inflected adjective, whereas others can be regarded as full-fledged adjectives that incorporate noun stems. Some parallels between the constructions of the latter type and constructions with relational nouns are discussed as well.
Key words
Gur, Natioro, class marking, adjectival incorporation
pp. 26–44
10.37892/2686-8946-2021-2-4-26-44
Акустические корреляты признака продвинутости/отодвинутости корня языка (±ATR) у гласных в языке игбо
М. А. Иванова
Аннотация
Гармония гласных по признаку продвинутости корня языка, или ±ATR, является характерной чертой языков макросуданского пояса Африки. Язык игбо (бенуэ-конголезская семья), на материале которого проводились первые инструментальные исследования артикуляции ±ATR, имеет несимметричную по ряду систему гласных /i, ɪ, e, a, ɔ, o, ʊ, u/, так что корневая гармония по этому признаку в нём существует в пределах трёх пар и одного не имеющего пары гласного /е/. Настоящая работа описывает акустическую реализацию ±ATR в языке игбо. Принимая гипотезу о том, что значение первой форманты гласного в комбинации с распределением энергии по частотам спектра образует единый перцептивный ключ, позволяющий различать противопоставленные по ±ATR гласные, мы наряду с описанием формантного пространства исследуем три спектральных параметра, которые показали себя акустическими коррелятами ±ATR в других макросуданских языках. Результаты инструментального анализа указывают на величину первой форманты, ширину её полосы и нормализованный центр тяжести гласного как на акустические корреляты ±ATR в языке игбо. Кроме того, по всем релевантным для контраста по ±ATR параметрам независимые произнесения /ɔ/ в наших данных разбиваются на две группы с разным значением этого признака.
Ключевые слова
язык игбо, акустическая фонетика, система гласных, признак продвинутости корня языка
Acoustic correlates of the advanced vs. retracted tongue root feature in Igbo
Margarita Ivanova
Abstract
Vowel harmony based on the advanced tongue root (±ATR) feature is a well-known attribute of the languages of the Macro-Sudan belt. Igbo (< Benue-Congo), one of these languages, on basis of which first instrumental studies of ±ATR articulation were conducted, has an asymmetric vowel system /i, ɪ, e, a, ɔ, o, ʊ, u/, so that root ±ATR harmony exists within three pairs and a single vowel /e/. This paper describes an acoustic realization of ±ATR in Igbo. According to the hypothesis that the value of the first formant in combination with the distribution of energy over the spectrum combine into a single perceptual cue that allows to distinguish vowels opposed by ±ATR we investigate (along with the description of the formant space) three spectral parameters that were shown to be acoustic correlates of ±ATR in other Macro-Sudan languages. The results of the instrumental analysis indicate that acoustic correlates of ±ATR harmony in Igbo are the value of the first formant, its bandwidth and normalized center of gravity. In addition, all parameters relevant for the ±ATR contrast in our data divided /ɔ/ utterances in different roots into two groups with contrasting values of the feature.
Key words
Igbo, acoustic phonetics, vowel system, advanced tongue root feature
pp. 45–79
doi 10.37892/2686-8946-2021-2-4-45-79