Noun derivation in lutiriki : a morphophonological description

Abstract

This is a study on derivational noun morphology of Lutiriki. Noun derivation in Lutiriki is both morphologically and phonologically conditioned hence a morphophonological description has to be undertaken to make insightful analysis of the derivational processes. Noun derivation is indeed a morphophonological process that leads to the formation of new lexemes that bear new meaning. This study elicited data from native speakers of Lutiriki using five informants who have competence in the language. The data collected has been analyzed using an eclectic approach of Natural Generative Phonology and Morphological Doubling Theory. Derivational noun morphology in Lutiriki is achieved through morphological processes of affixation, compounding and reduplication. Bound morphemes derive nouns through a process of affixation, while free morphemes are joined to each other through a process of compounding to derive compound nouns. Reduplication requires a double occurrence of a morphological constituent that shares a semantic and phonological generalization. The process of reduplication fuses a base lexeme and a reduplicant to derive a reduplicated word form. Chapter one introduces the topic under study, the statement of the problem, the objectives of the study, the hypotheses, the rationale, the theoretical framework, the scope and limitations, the literature review and methodology that guided this study. Chapter two gives an introduction to the phonology and morphology of Lutiriki. This precipitates the need to undertake a morphophonological description into the derivation ofLutiriki nominals. Chapter x three, four and five expound on affixation, compounding and reduplication as the three morphological processes in the derivation ofLutiriki nouns. In conclusion, the investigation reveals that a morphophonological description within the theoretical framework of Natural Generative Phonology and Morphological Doubling Theory is adequate in the analysis ofLutiriki noun derivation.