Reduplication

Reduplication is a morphological process in which a part or the entirety of a word is repeated exactly or with a slight change. It is used in inflections to convey a grammatical function, such as plurality, intensification, etc., and in lexical derivation to create new words. Reduplication is found in a wide range of languages and language groups, though its level of linguistic productivity varies.

Reduplication is used in a wide range of languages and language groups, though its level of linguistic productivity varies. Reduplication is found in some forms in nearly every language and is used in inflections to convey a grammatical function, such as plurality, intensification, etc., and in lexical derivation to create new words.

Types of Reduplication

Reduplication can be classified into various types based on the part of the word that is reduplicated and the changes that are made to the reduplicated form. Some of the common types of reduplication include:

• Full Reduplication: In this type, the entire word is repeated. It is commonly used to express repetition or intensification. Example: 'day by day', 'little by little'.
• Partial Reduplication: Only part of the word is repeated in this type. It is often used to express diminutive, iterative, etc. Example: 'flim-flam', 'zig-zag'.
• Echo Reduplication: This type involves repeating the word with a slight change in the vowel. It is common in languages of the Indian subcontinent. Example: 'ding-dong', 'ping-pong'.

Reduplication in Different Languages

Reduplication is found in many languages around the world, though its usage and function can vary greatly from one language to another.

• Reduplication in English: English uses reduplication to create informal words, express continuous action, etc. Examples include 'goody-goody', 'hush-hush', 'so-so', etc.
• Reduplication in Chinese: In Chinese, reduplication is used to express the diminutive, intensification, etc. Examples include '人人 (rénrén) - everyone', '天天 (tiāntiān) - everyday', etc.
• Reduplication in Indonesian: In Indonesian, reduplication is used to form plurals, express repetition of action, etc. Examples include 'rumah-rumah - houses', 'jalan-jalan - to take a walk', etc.

See Also

• Morphology (linguistics)
• Inflection
• Derivation (linguistics)
• Diminutive

References

Reduplication Resources
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