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 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.
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