Semantic Aspects of Reduplication in Basa

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine the semantic aspect of reduplication in Basa. It explores the meanings of the reduplicated forms and focuses on notions brought by full and partial reduplication. The paper begins by looking at the Basa language, its people, as well as the theoretical framework on which the research is hinged. The aim is to undertake a descriptive study of reduplication in the Basa language by accounting for the various semantics of reduplication in the language, highlighting the processes of both full and partial root reduplication in the language. Unobstructive Participant Observation Method and Un-Obstructive Non-Participant Observation Method of data collection procedure were employed as means of gathering data for the study. In light of the foregoing, this study found that there exist semantics of full and partial reduplication in the Basa language. It is also discovered that the semantic components of full reduplication in the Basa language include intensification, emphasis, repeated action, numerals, and pluralization. On the other hand, the semantic component of partial reduplication in the Bassa language is adverbs and adjectives at the prefixal and suffixal levels.