语言学类问题：（构词法）InEnglish,theideaofpossessioncanbemarkedbyaninflectionalsuffix(-’s)onthenounrepresentingthe‘possessor’,placedbeforethenounthatis‘possessed’(asinJohn’scar).Otherlanguagesworkd

Question

语言学类问题：（构词法）
In English,the idea ofpossession can be marked by an inflectional suffix (-’s) on the noun representing the ‘possessor’,placed before the nounthat is ‘possessed’ (as in John’s car).Other languages workdifferently.The data below are from a West African language called Basari,spoken in Ghana.Study them and do the two tasks that follow.(10%)
(A) (a) (‘chief’) uboti
(b) (‘wife’) unimpu
(c) (‘farm’) kusaau
(B) (a) (‘aman’s chief’) uninja botiu
(b) (‘a man’swife’) uninja nimpuu
(c) (‘one wife’) unimpu ubo
(d) (‘thisman’s one wife’) uninja-nee nimpuu ubo
(e) (‘onefarm’) kusaau kubo
(f) (‘a man’sfarm’) uninja saaku
(g) (‘a man’sone farm’) uninja saaku kubo
(h) (‘one man’sfarm’) uninja ubo saaku
Tasks:(1) Describe how ‘possession’ is expressed in these Basariexamples.
(2) If the Basari word for‘mortar’ is kukuntuu,then how wouldyou translate uninja-nee nimpuu kuntuuku?

Answer 1

the first syllable moves to the end(字首音节移到最后)
this man's wife's mortar