IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS)

Volume 22, Issue 8, Ver. 15 (August. 2017) PP 01-06

e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845.
www.iosrjournals.org

Reduplicated Structure in Manipuri

Dr.DhanapatiShougrakpam
Centre for Endangered languages,Department of English and Foreign Languages,
Tezpur University, Assam

Abstract: Reduplication is a predominant phenomenon in Manipuri, a language belonging to the Tibeto-

Burman family of the Sino-Tibetan languages. The language productively employs both partial and full
reduplication. The present paper is an attempt to analyse and systematize some characteristic type of partial
reduplication structure in Manipuri.The study of reduplication has generated a great deal of interest in terms of
understanding a number of properties associated with the word-formation process.As with morphology in
general, two considerations that arise in reduplication are related to form and meaning. As for form, the term
―reduplicant‖ has been widely used to refer to the repeated portion of a word, while ―base‖ is used to refer to the
portion of the word that provides the source material for repetition. There are three key issues regarding
reduplicative form for which theories of reduplication aim to account: segmental identity effects between base
and reduplicant, the shape of reduplicants, and factors to consider in identifying the base of reduplication.

Keywords: Reduplication, Syntactic structure,Prefix, Suffix, Verb.

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Date of Submission: 16-08-2017 Date of acceptance: 30-08-2017
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I. INTRODUCTION
Reduplication is the repetition of all or part of a lexical item carrying a semantic meaning.
Reduplication refers to a word formation process that repeats all or part of a word or phrase. The definitive
feature of reduplication—that it involves copying a portion of the word—has generated a large variety of
mechanisms to account for how repetition takes place. Because there are other phenomena in languages that
involve the repetition of linguistic elements, there has also been research in how to determine whether or not a
repetition is reduplication. In terms of the meaning, several recurrent meanings arise in reduplication, often
related to ―plurality‖ and ―repetition.‖ This has led to research that explores issues related to iconicity in
language.

Partial reduplication:
Partial reduplication involves reduplication of only part of the word (generally a syllable).
The following three types of reduplication are discussed:-
I. Reduplication of prefix
II. Reduplication of suffix and
III. Reduplication of verbs.

II. REDUPLICATION OF PREFIX

In this type of reduplication, the reduplicating element is prefixed to the two elements:
1. ‗ ә-‘
1.1 ә-nem (low) ә-waŋ (high) >әnemәwaŋ ‗low and high situation‘.
ә- is prefix to the two elements which are opposite or complementary in meaning. Its form is ә-___+ ә-___; the
slots can be filled by elements indicating relativeness. The reduplicated form gives a sense of relativity and the
meaning is context dependent. It indicates:–
i. The relative measurement:
әnemәwaŋ o-lu
RED measure-CMD
‗Measure the heights.‘

ii. Stating a universal truth:

әnemәwaŋ nai-bә punsi ni
RED depend –NZR life COP

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‗Life is full of ups and down.‘

iii. In warning against a particular act:
әnemәwaŋ khai-gәnu
RED divide-PRHB
‗Do not divide people by class.‘

iv. In giving an advice in general:

әnemәwaŋ khai-bә phәt-te
RED divide-NZR good-NEG
‗It is not good to divide people by class (high and low).‘

The same form can be drawn as in:-

әhao (tasty) әthum (sweet) >әhaoәthum ‗sweet and tasty‘
әseŋ (pure) әmaŋ (impure) >әseŋәmaŋ ‗pure and impure‘
әrum (heavy) әyaŋ (light) >әrumәyaŋ ‗weights‘

1.2. әwok (receive) әkhum (respond) >әwokәkhum ‗back answer‘.

Its form is ә-__+ ә-__; the slots can be filled by elements the meaning of which is not apparent from the
independent element. ә- is prefix to the two elements to indicate the independent character of an action or state.
The reduplicated forms thus have some negative connotation associated with it.

It is used:-
i. in advising someone of a particular act:
әwokәkhum tәubә phәt-te
RED do-NZR good-NEG
‗It is not good to back answer.‘

ii. in warning or prohibiting someone of a particular act:

әwokәkhum tәu-gәnu
RED do-PRHB
‗Do not back answer.‘

iii. criticizing someone of a particular act:

әwokәkhum yamnә kәnbәni
RED QTF strong-NZR COP
‗One who is good at back answering.‘

The same form can be drawn as in:-

әcopәreŋ > unquenchable
әnәmәha > lassitude
әphiŋәphai > hastiness

2. ‗i-‘
i-ma (mother) i-pa (father) >imaipa ‗parents‘.
The elements have an independent meaning and the reduplicated form provides a combinatory meaning. Its
form is i-___+ i-___; the slot is filled by kinship terms and is analysed as follows:-
imaipa mitnә u-bә lay ni
RED eyes-INST see-NZR God COP
‗Parents are a form of God that we see with our eyes.‘
It is a very famous saying that parents are taken to be a form of god.

The same form can be drawn as in:-

ibuŋ (elder) ipwa (younger) >ibuŋipwa used by females to brothers.
ice (elder) icәl (younger) > ice icәl used by males to sisters.

3. ‗m ә-‗
3.1. mә-tik(capacity) mә-gun (quality) >mәtikmәgun ‗possession of esteemed quality‘.

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Each of the elements have an independent meaning. The elements in their cohesive form is an indicator of self-
determination of an entity involved. Its form is mә-___+ mә-___; the slot is filled with abstract and self-
determining quality (of persons orthings) and can be analysed as in
mәtikmәgun yamnә lәibә mi/pot-ni
RED QTF have-NZR person/thing COP
‗Possession of esteemed quality (could be either by a person or of a thing.)‘

The same form can be drawn as in:-

mәmiŋ (name) mәtha (address) >mәmiŋmәtha ‗one‘s name and address‘
mәsәk (face) mәmiŋ (name) >mәsәkmәmiŋ ‗one‘s identification‘

3.2 mәwoŋ (ways) mәtәu (nature) >mәwoŋmәtәu ‗overall appearance‘.

Each of the element gives an independent meaning in its cohesive form. Its form is mә-___ +mә-___; the slots
are filled with words that can occur cohesively with each of the first syllables. There exists a varied meaning
according to the context in which it is used.
The following analysis can be drawn:-
i. It shows one‘s approval or disapproval of a particular act as in (a) and (b) respectively.
a. magi mәwoŋmәtәu du phәjә-y
he-GEN RED DET nice-ASP
His attitude is nice.‘
b. magi mәwoŋmәtәu du phәjә-de
he-GEN RED DET nice-NEG
‗His attitude is not nice.‘

ii. It determines surety or doubtfulness of the nature of a person from the action involved as in (a) and (b)
respectively.
a. magi mәwoŋmәtәu du әy khәŋ-ŋi
he-GEN RED DET I know-ASP
‗I know of his nature.‘
b. magi mәwoŋmәtәu du әy khәŋ-ŋi
he-GEN RED DET I know-NEG
‗I am doubtful of his nature.‘

The same form can be drawn as in:-

The reduplicated form provides varied meaning-
mәthәk (up) mәkha (down) >mәthәkmәkha
a. relative direction ‗up and down‘
b. wearing clothes ‗inside out‘
c. extreme hungriness ‗butterflies in the stomach‘
d. when younger ones starts to dictate their elders

mәniŋ (back) mәkha (down/lower) >mәniŋmәkha

a. back and down/lower
b. freedom

mәrak (breadth) mәyuŋ(length) >mәrakmәyuŋ

a. relative length and breadth
b. shows proportion.

III. REDUPLICATION OF SUFFIX

The reduplication here is one of rhyming reduplication. Here each element is formed by two syllables
in which the second syllable of the first element is repeated in the reduplicated form.
1. ka-rәn (unusual behaviours) tu-rәn>karәnturәn ‗unusual behaviours‘.
The first element alone conveys an independent meaning of the entity involved. The second element serves as
an additive for intensifying the character of the first element. Its form is A-__+B-__; the slots are filled up with
the same syllable.

It is used –
i. while advising someone

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karәnturәn tәu-bә phәt-te

RED do-NZR good-NEG
‗It is not good to misbehave.‘
ii. while warning someone
karәnturәn tәu-gәnu
RED do-PRHB
‗Do not misbehave.‘

iii. in criticizing of someone‘s act

karәnturәn yamnә tәu-bә mi ni
RED QTF do- NZR person COP
‗He or she is a person who misbehaves a lot.‘

The same form can be drawn as in:-

cirol (whisper) parol >cirolpaorol ‗whispers‘
natәi (inappropriate)putәi >natәiputәi ‗inappropriate‘

2. niŋ-jiŋmaŋ-jiŋ>niŋjiŋmaŋjiŋ ‗reluctance in carrying out an activity‘.

The two elements do not have an independent meaning but convey a cohesive idea in the reduplicated form. It is
an indication of some behavioural tendency.

Its form is A-__+B-__; the slots are filled up with the same syllable. The particular act has a negative
connotation involved.

The same form can be drawn as in:-

phәireŋtureŋ > haphazard/careless

3. mi (person)-maŋ(front) pu-maŋ>mimaŋpumaŋ ‗in front of people‘.

The first element mimaŋ is a compound word conveying an independent meaning of the entity involved. Its
underlying form is mi-GEN (gi) + suffix (mә-)-maŋ (front) >mimaŋ (in front of people). There is a genitive
marker and a suffix in the underlying structure that do not surface in the compound word thus formed.

The second element serves as an additive for intensifying the character of the first element. The reduplicated
form is A-__+B-__; ‗A‘ is a noun form and the slots are filled up with the same syllable. The reduplicated form
can be analysed as below:-
It is used:-
i. while advising someone
mimaŋpumaŋ khәŋ-ŋu
RED know-NZR
‗You should know how to behave in public.‘

ii. while warning someone

mimaŋpumaŋ khәŋ-dә-bә tәu-gәnu
RED know-NEG-NZR do-PRHB
‗Do not be unknowing as to how to behave in public.‘

iii. in criticizing of someone‘s act

mimaŋpumaŋ khәŋ-dә-bә mi ni
RED know-NEG-NZR person COP
‗A person who does not know how to behave in public.‘

4. mit (eyes)-yeŋ (look) na-yeŋ>mityeŋnayeŋ ‗manner of looking‘.

The reduplicated form is A-__+B-__, where A is a noun form and the slots are filled up with the same syllable
which is a verbal form.

The same form can be drawn as in:-

phi (cloth)-jet (wear) sa-jet >phijetsajet ‗manner of dressing‘

5. phi (cloth)-jet(wear) lak-set >phijetlakset ‗manner of dressing‘.

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The reduplicated form is A-__+B-__; where ‗A‘ is a noun form and ‗lak‘ is the first syllable of the second
element ‗B‘, the slot is filled up with the same syllable which is a verbal form. The reduplicated words thus
formed are implication of excessiveness in one‘s manner leading others to feel a kind of awkwardness toward.
The same form can be drawn as in-
sәm (hair)-hat (comb) lak-hat (comb) >sәmhatlakhat ‗manner of hair-do‘
sәm (hair)-bun (tie) lak-pun (tie) >sәmbunlakpun ‗mode of tying hair‘
cak (rice)-ca (eat) lak-ca (eat) >cakcalakca ‗mode of eating‘

IV. REDUPLICATION OF VERBS

The element is composed of two syllables.
Here, the verb form that is the second syllable of the first element is reduplicated in the second element.

1. khu-cәt (go) lak-cәt (go) >khucәtlakcәt ‗one‘s manner/way of walking‘.

khu- is prefix to the verb in the first element and lak- to the second. Its form is khu-__+lak-__ ; the slot
is filled up with the same verbal form .

The following analysis can be drawn:-

i. The reduplicated form is a reflection of some degree of undesirable excessiveness of one‘s action or
behaviour.
khucәtlakcәt phәjә-de
RED nice-NEG
‗One‘s manner of walking is not nice.‘

ii. khu-phә (good) lak-phә >khuphәlakphә ‗excessively good‘.

The reduplicated form is a reflection of some elevated degree of positive action or behaviour. Its form
is khu-__+lak-__; the slot is filled with a verbal
form and is analysed as
khuphәlakphә әmә ni
RED EXC COP
Exceptionally good in quality (of a person or thing).

The same form can be drawn as in:-

khu-hәy(aptness) lak-hәy >khuhәylakhәy (exceptionally apt)

2. lәu-thoklәu-sin >lәuthoklәusin
-t ok~-dok is suffix to the verb in the first element and -sin ~ -jin to the second. Its form is __thok (outward) +
h

__ sin (inward); the slot is filled with verbal form. The meaning of the reduplicated form changes according to
the context in which it is used and creates an ambiguity in the meaning.

The following analysis can be drawn:-

i. The reciprocity of an action is reflected.
layrik lәuthoklәusin tәu-nә-si
book RED do-REC-SUG
‗Let us exchange books.‘

ii. Shows to and fro movement of a person or thing.

әŋaŋ du skuldәgi lәuthoklәusin tәu-bi-yu
child DET school ABL RED do-REQ-CMD
‗Please pick up and drop the child to school.‘

The same form can be drawn as in:-

puthokpusin
It indicates-
a. carry in and out
b. lend and borrow

hәndokhәnjin
It indicates -
a. screw and unscrew

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 Reduplicated Structure in Manipuri

b. repeat
c. exchange

V. CONCLUSION
An attempt has been made to study the constituent elements and examine the structural patterns of
reduplication in Manipuri. All cases of reduplication are created by syntactic structures. It can be inferred from
the present study that in some of the reduplicated words thus formed both the elements have an independent
meaning and that the cohesion of the elements gives a supplementary meaning. In some of the forms, the first
element can convey an independent meaning and the second serves as an additive, intensifying the character of
the first element. Some of the forms are found to be context dependent and have varied meanings.
This work is a modest exploration and would hopefully incite further studies of reduplication.

VI. ABBREVIATIONS
ASP Aspect
COP Copula
CMD Command
DET Determiner
EXC Exceptional
GEN Genitive
INST Instrumental
NEG Negative
NZR Nominalizer
PRHB Prohibitive
QTF Quantifier
RED Reduplicated form

REFERENCES
[1]. T‘Sou B.K. (1978) ‗Sounds symbolism and some socio - and historical linguistic implications of
linguistic diversity in Sino-Tibetan languages‘. Cahiers delingistique – Asieorientale, Vol. 3 n‘1, 1978.
Pp. 67-76.
[2]. Chelliah, Shobhana L. ‗A Grammar of Meithei‘. Berlin, Mouton de Gruyter, 1997.
[3]. Lay, Khin(1978) ‗A study of reduplication in Burmese‘. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/26051.
[4]. Singh Yashawanta Ch. (2000). ‗Manipuri Grammar‘. New Delhi: Rajesh Publication.
[5]. Fabricius, Anne H. (1998). ‗A comparative survey of reduplication in Australian languages‘. LINCOM
Studies in Australian Languages 3. Munich: Lincom Europa.

IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) is UGC approved Journal with
Sl. No. 5070, Journal no. 49323.

*Dr. Dhanapati Shougrakpam.―Reduplicated Structure in Manipuri.‖IOSR Journal Of

Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) , vol. 22, no. 08, 2017, pp. 01–06.

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