Diminutive Reduplication

Diminutive reduplication indicates a small subject or a small object of the act or state. The diminutive prefix, ɬ-, indicates a small act or state.

The first consonant of the root is repeated as a prefix on the root. Any resonant consonants of the root are glottalized.

• t̕iš, sweet.
  • tt̕iš, small and sweet.
  • ɬtt̕iš, small and a little sweet.

As a morphological pattern the first plosive consonant of a plosive consonant pair is reduced to a regular consonant. In the example above the repeated t̕ is reduced to a regular t.

• cim, miniature.
  • sccm̓elt, children

In this example the resonant consonant, m, is glottalized. As well, the subsequent suffix, -elt, retains its vowel thus eliminating the vowel from the root, cim.

• nič̓, cut.
  • n̓in̓č̓, cut something small.
  • ɬn̓in̓č̓, barely cut something small.
  • ɬn̓in̓č̓mn, knife.

• x̌ʷolq̓ʷ, roll.
  • x̌ʷox̌ʷl̕q̓ʷ, a small thing rolled.

• ɬuʕʷ, pierce, stab.
  • ɬuɬʕʷ, pierce, stab a little thing.