Forms and Functions of Reduplication in Tupian Languages

Chapter Summary

This chapter gives an overview of reduplication phenomena in other Tupi-Guaraní languages and in some languages of other families of the Tupian stock. It argues that the distinction between event-internal plurality in the case of monosyllabic reduplication and event-external plurality in that of disyllabic reduplication may be confirmed in some cases but has merged into one general function in most of the modern languages. The chapter describes reduplication as a grammatical process of marking aspectual functions of verbal and nominal predicates in Tupi languages, and sometimes observes other functions of reduplication, such as plurality in any kind of arguments. Reduplication has been described in an early missionary grammar of Tupinambá by Anchieta (1595) and in grammars of Paraguayan Guarani by Montoya and Restivo. The most intriguing phenomenon is the overlapping of morphology and rhythmic elements such as ludic retardation.

Keywords: aspectual functions; early missionary grammar; monosyllabic reduplication; Tupi-Guaraní languages; Tupian stock; verbal predicate