Some word formation processes in Sisaali

Abstract

The study investigates some word formation processes in Sɩsaalɩ, under the frameworks of Optimality Theory, propounded by Prince and Smolensky (1993) and Hockett’s model of morphological analysis (IA approach). Four word formation processes were found, namely; borrowing, reduplication, compounding and affixation. The data on borrowing and reduplication were analyzed using OT and the data on compounding and affixation were analyzed using the IA. The study established that, words borrowed from Akan into Sɩsaalɩ will not be structurally constrained because both languages have similar syllable structures. But words borrowed from English into Sɩsaalɩ with consonant clusters and codas were structurally constrained and had to be repaired through vowel epenthesis and final consonant deletion because the syllable structure of Sɩsaalɩ does not permit consonant clusters and syllable codas. The study also revealed that, the reduplicant for verbs is reserved to be a CV ending in a short vowel, such that a CV verb ending in a long vowel will have to be shortened in the reduplicant. Also, verbs with structures larger than a CV will have to be elided to generate only CVs in the reduplicant. The vowel of the reduplicant for verbs was noted to be reserved for [+High] vowels, such that a [-High] base vowel will necessarily change to a [+High] vowel in the reduplicant. The study equally showed three types of compound words exist in Sɩsaalɩ; endocentric, exocentric and coordinate compounds. The suffixes -bá, -á:, -nὶŋ́ , -sὶŋ́ and –é: were identified as plural marker suffixes in Sɩsaalɩ. Audio recording, focused group discussions, direct elicitation and documents were the methods used to arrive at the data.