Reduplication: [node:field-property] (Northern Mansi)

TtlRdp: Total reduplication of an entire word, relative stem, or absolute stem (root) is used productively.


(1) χāp-ǝm χot-wis-l-ǝm.
boat-1sg away-take-prs.obj-1sg
’I’m taking away my boat’ (S. D.)


(2) χāp-ǝm χot-χot-wis-l-ǝm.
boat-1sg away-away-take-prs.obj-1sg
’I can hardly take my boat away’ (S. D.)


(3) tūp kāsal-as-l-ǝm.
just notice-pst-obj-1sg
’I have just noticed’ (S. D.)


(4) tūp-tūp kāsal-as-l-ǝm. 
just-just notice-pst-obj-1sg
’I have almost noticed’ (S. D.)


(5) miša ōs saša χūrǝm- χūrǝm wās al-s-yγ.
Misha and Sasha three-three duck kill-pst-3du
’Misha and Sasha killed three ducks each.’ (S. D.)


Northern Mansi uses reduplication to express a special aspectual content when the verbal prefix is duplicated. In this case, the sentences express that an event may not going to occur or that it has almost taken place (1-2). The reduplication of other parts of speech can also express this notion of “almost happening” (3-4). Furthermore, distributive numerals can be formed by the reduplication of cardinal numerals (5).

Author: 

Szilvia Németh