Reduplication in Kimeru: a Case Study of Kimeru Parts of Speech

Abstract

This study focuses on reduplication in Kimeru. Reduplication is rather a naturally occurring aspect of Kimeru language and therefore calls for thorough analysis and understanding of the reduplicated words in the language. The study uses common Kimeru words particulary in the open categories of speech. These words were taken from the Imenti dialect of Kimeru language. The study aims were to identify reduplication in Kimeru; to investigate full and partial reduplication in Kimeru; to look at reduplication in all open categories of speech in Kimeru and examine how they occur; to account for reduplication in Kimeru using the Morphological Doubling Theory (MDT). The MDT claims that reduplication calls twice for a given constituent or subconstituent in a given semantic description with possible phonological modification. The research was based on the sampled native speaker’s knowledge of the structure of Kimeru words as well as other aspects of reduplication. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample of ten informants, who were carefully selected from the Imenti speaking areas. The selected informants were then used to assist in the generation of the data to be used in this study through a questionnaire. The researcher then counterchecked the data given to ensure its correctness. The rest of the data was collected through information from primary sources including Kimeru books, Kimeru dictionary and other helpful Kimeru materials. The data collected were classified into different categories and analysed morphologically. We gave the basic information on Ki-imenti phonology and morphology. This important detail set the stage for the ensuing discussions and also enabled the researcher to establish the linguistic elements affected by reduplication. We further gave a comprehensive description of Kimeru parts of speech that include nouns, verbs, pronouns, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions and conjunctions. These parts of speech discussed acted as the introduction to reduplication in the open categories of speech that was the basis of our discussion. Our findings indicate that reduplication occurs in the open classes that include nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. The study also found out that both total and partial reduplication are used in the reduplication of Kimeru words. Further the study found out that x pseudo-reduplication is an independent concept in Kimeru and not an aspect of reduplication. The study concluded that reduplication affects the semantic value of words in Kimeru.