ABANYALA BA KAKAMEGA: Reduplication in Nouns

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The Olunyala (K) is a sub-dialect of Luhya language spoken by the Abanyala of Kakamega. The Language is internationally coded as ISO 939-3 nle.

CONCEPT OF REDUPLICATION

Reduplication is a word forming process in Olunyala (K). “Given a word with a phonological form X, then reduplication refers to XX or xX (where x is part of X and x can appear either just before X, just after X, or inside X). Conditions: (i) XX or xX must be semantically related to X. (ii) XX or xX must be productive.” (Kiyomi 1995:2). 

The following reduplication in verbs illustrates this phonetic phonomenon.

  1. Okhuliolioma- <okhu> + <lio> + <lio> + <ma> The reduplication of the sound /lio/ occures before the word <lioma>
  2. Namukhokhome- <na> + <mu> + <kho> + <kho> +<me> The reduplication of the sound /xo/ occurs inside the word <namu......me>.
  3. Okhubeyabeya- <okhu> +beya> + <beya>. The reduplication of the sound /βeja/ occurs after the first <okhubeya>

REDUPLICATION IN OLUNYALA (K)

Exact reduplication: some nouns in Olunyala (K) have phonological forms showing exact reduplication as a process of word formation. Thus, the reduplicant is exact to the base.

  1. Etolotolo
  2. Esicholocholo 

Partial reduplication: On the other hand, we have some words which have the second part of the word undergoing some slight phonological modification from that of the base.

  1. Ewoyawoye
  2. Omukoyakoye 
  3. Omwayuayue

Olunyala (K) reduplication: basing on the conditions in the above definition, it can be said that Olunyala (K) nouns exhibit various types of reduplication: full reduplication, pseudo reduplication and fossilized reduplication. 

1.  Pseudo reduplication 
This category has very many examples of monosyllabic reduplication. Though there are phonological signs of reduplication, the repeated part of the word does not have a meaning of its own when separately analysed. Such reduplication are not worth the analysis of reduplication in Olunyala (K)
    1. Esikhokhochole for a name of a place.
    2. Ekhirikhikhi for owl.
    3. Omusolili for a boy.
    4. Omusululu for soot.
    5. Akhafululu for a type of vegetable.
    6. Owulala for unity.
    7. Ekokopiro for gullet
    8. Esikhokho for an irregular wooden item having roots.
    9. Ekhokhonikho for empty shell.
    10. Owulili for bedding
2. Reduplication to create diminutives, something-like
This is one of the most productive reduplication in Olunyala (K) has the reduplication in form of [<noun class prefix> + <X> + <X>] to add meaning of small and of less value or big and of less value. The bi-syllabic or tri-syllabic replicand is always on the right side of the replication base. For example, the noun omukhasi (wife) can yield the following reduplicated noun.
  1. Akhakhasikhasi [<akha> + <khasi> + <khasi>] to mean a small wife of less value, a mere wife, something-like-a-wife.
  2. Ebikhasikhasi [<ebi> + <khasi> + <khasi>] to mean many small wives of less value.
  3. Ochukhasikhasi [<ochu> + <khasi> + <khasi>] to mean devalued small wives.
  4. Okukhasikhasi- [<oku> + <khasi> + <khasi>] to mean devalued big sized wife, something-like-big-useless wife
  5. Esisachasacha <esi> + <sacha> + <sacha> to mean a devalued small man, something-like a useless man.
3. Fossilized reduplication  
This type of reduplication is common with all the common nouns that seem to have phonological form showing reduplication of more than one base syllable. Each of the reduplicated daughter has a focilised meaning that can be infered. 

The following is a list of nouns that demonstrate fosilized reduplication of two syllables in their phonological form.

  1.  Akhafutifuti [axafutifuti]- type of small caterpillar that raises up its middle body during locomotion.The name is borrowed from the english word 'foot' since the cartrpillar's movement imitates act of measuring.
    Akhafutifuti

  2. Epiriupiriu- cistocola bird 
  3. Akhatietie- type of small bird, Cristocolas cristicola. The name is a reduplication of the sound made by the bird.
  4. Amafuefue (amafwefwe)- love-handles. it comes from the verb okhufwenyafwenyukha.
  5. Amakhandiakhandia- hard muscles meat.
  6. Amakherierie- cracks on feet, itchthyosis.
  7. Amakholiolio- septum.
  8. Amakokhakokha- dirt swept out of house.
  9. Amalolelole- conjunctivitis
  10. Amaluelue- shunny oil droplet in surface of soup.
  11. Amapalapala- spots
  12. Amaweriweri- state of deem visibility.
  13. Anang'ining'ini- shiny haphazardly moving particles. it comes from the verb okhung'ina which means to glitter.
  14. Ebiberebere- type of plant, lantana trifolia.
  15. Ebikotikoti- chicken pox
  16. Ebimulimuli- white flowers
  17. Ebinyamunyamu- type if weed of oxallis sp.
  18. Ebongobongo- Olive pigeon
  19. Efuafua- wondering jew, commelina sp
  20. Ekhaukhau-  type of indigenous vegetables, wild pears.
  21. Ekhuyikhuyi- black stork bird
  22. Ekomakoma- two wheel toy.
  23. Ekulukulu- turkey. It is named based on its repeated sound of kulukulu
  24. Elingolingo- collar-borne.
  25. Emeramera- molten animal
  26. Engiriangiria- type of bird.
  27. Engurianguria- remote rural villages.
  28. Enjulanjula- type of plant, Solunum incanum
  29. Epilipili- pepper
  30. Epurupuru- moth
  31. Esicharachara- wind vane
  32. Esicholocholo- penis of a toddler.
  33. Esikhasikhasi- jealous akin to that between co-wives.
  34. Esikholokholo- heartbeat of anxiety.
  35. Esikolokolo- banana stampm
  36. Esikondikondi- forget-me-not.
  37. Esikhutukhutu- type of beetle.
  38. Esimiramira- the ability and taste that makes something worth swallowing.
  39. Esingayangaya,- purslane
  40. Esing'alung'alu- food cooked in a delicious manner. It comes from the verb okhung'ala since such a meal is a product of one who 'purposed to cook.'
  41. Esinyolonyolo- type of vegetable.
  42. Esiosio- communial fire at funeral
  43. Esipakapaka- wheelbarrow.
  44. Esipikipiki- motorcyle.
  45. Esipusiupisiu- ring finger.
  46. Esisotisoti- dragonfly.
  47. Esitalatala- raised platform for drying utensils
  48. Esitamutamu- sweets
  49. Esomisomi- muscle pull in rib area
  50. Etolotolo- yama.
  51. Namwituitui- blue headed crucol
  52. Olubalabala- brine taste.
  53. Olubichibichi- boyish behaviour during adolescence stage.
  54. Olufwotifwoti- english with norsal twang
  55. Olukalakala- allutation
  56. Olukhasikhasi- childish play imatiting family. Comes from noun omukhasi since the play has a character who is a wife.
  57. Olumoolimooli- pride slow movements. It comes from the verb okhumoola.
  58. Oluparipari- row between two parell lines. It comes from the word okhuparia.
  59. Oluuwukawuka- nightjar bird. It comes from the verb okhuwuka due to the sound made by the bird.
  60. Omubinubinu- type of tree, Cassia didymobotrya fam. Caesalpiniaceae. It comes from the verb okhubina since the tree is believed to be a good ingredient for stopping disturbances from a night runner.
  61. Omuchabachaba- type of tree
  62. Omuchoochoo- type of tree
  63. Omukabakaba- type of tree, Ficus verr
  64. Omukesikesi- cunning person.
  65. Omukhalakhale- one from the the old generation.
  66. Omukorokoro- two kilograms tin container.
  67. Omukoyakoye- type of tree, Paulinia pinnata L.
  68. Omulamalama- type of tree, Piliostigma thoningii.
  69. Omutungutungu- nandi flame tree.
  70. Omupayipayi- pawpaw tree.
  71. Omusubasuba- Sesbania Sesban.
  72. Omuyamayama- type of tree.
  73. Omwikholiokholio- a lot of pretence.
  74. Opichapicha- swallow bird.
  75. . 
Those with slight modification on base.
  1. Esikolakole- water beetle
  2. Ekhirikhikhi- owl
  3. Ewoyawoye- soft shelled egg.
  4. Omukhalakhale- castro oil plant.
  5. Omukoyakoye- climber type.

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