Title: The Semantics of Kisukuma Affixes

Authors: Chipanda Simon

 Chipanda Simon Department of Languages and Literature, Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

*Correspondence: drchipandasimon@gmail.com

Abstract

The article dwells the semantic domains of noun affixes in Kisukuma language. The lack of comprehensive study on the topic motivates the study. Lexica morphology and prototype theories were applied in data analysis. For example, tema 'cut' to n-teng’-w-a can fit in the lexical morphology as in ‘the one who has been cut’ or the one who is lead under the prototype model. Sukuma population was used in which 10 informants were selected in the study. Sukuma informants were selected because they know Kisukuma language which is the focus of the study. Sukuma people made full availability of the data pertinent to Kisukuma Interview, critical documentary analysis and intuition knowledge were tools of data gathering. Interview explored different structures on suffixes and suffixes and their roles in both denotative and connotative meaning, critical documentary analysis made to explore secondary information on the topic under discussion, and that the intuition knowledge helped to judge and conclude the phonotactics of Kisukuma affixes. The study revealed inflectional and derivational affixes, the former are prefixes as in diminutive {ka, tu}, hugeness {ma, li, mi}, locative {ku, mu, ha}, adjective and deverbal {i, ma, n} while the later are suffixes as in causative {j, ch, sh, y}, passive {w, ng’w, v}, adjective prefix {n, ß} and applied {ɪg, ɪj, eg, a or i}. The prefixes are ordered in three maximally in a single noun while this is true the derivational suffixes trigger numerous senses. Basing on the findings, further study was recommended on noun incorporations.

Keywords: Semantics; Noun; Prefixes; Suffixes; Kisukuma; Bantu Languages