Tsimshian
Nouns table
| gloss | layer | sg | pl |
|---|---|---|---|
| cat | lexeme | duus | dikduus |
| cat | prefix | zero | CVk |
| dog | lexeme | haas | hashaas |
| dog | prefix | zero | CVC |
| butcher knife | lexeme | t’u’usk | t’ut’u’usk |
| butcher knife | prefix | zero | CV |
| belly | lexeme | ban | g̲aban |
| belly | prefix | zero | g̲a |
| summer | lexeme | suunt | gyiksuunt |
| summer | prefix | zero | gyik |
Tsimshian notes
- Reduplicative plural marking is also found on verbs, where it agrees with the intransitive subject or transitive object.
- Reduplicative prefixation involves the initial consonant of the stressed syllable and a vowel which is usually predictable on the basis of that consonant -- there are however many exceptions where this prediction does not hold, and the vowel must (presumably) be lexically specified.
- Dunn (1995) describes five types of reduplication, three of which are illustrated here. Of the remaining two, one of them (CVx- reduplication) appears from the examples given to be restricted to verbs (diilmx ~ daxdiilmx 'answer'), while the other (-CV suffixation) appears to be associated with a variety additional stem changes or affixation, so we construe it here as irregular (i.e. it does not directly opposed to the pure reduplication represented by the other types).
- Suppletive plural formation exists as well.
- Dunn (1995) characterizes g̲a- as a distributive plural prefix, used for things or people connected individual persons, such as body parts, kin terms, tools, clothing -- though note that this is not automatic (e.g. some body parts and kin terms form their plural by reduplication). The gyik- prefix is originally an adverbial element meaning 'again', and is used for units of time.
References
Dunn, John Asher. 1995. A Reference Dictionary and Grammar for the Coast Tsimshian Language. Seattle: University of Washington Press, and Juneau: Sealaska Heritage Foundation.