Reduplicace

Reduplication is a morphological process in linguistics where a word or part of a word is repeated. This repetition can occur in various ways, such as repeating the entire word, a part of the word, or a syllable within the word. The function of reduplication varies widely across languages and can be used to indicate grammatical information like plurality, tense, or aspect, or to convey semantic information such as intensification, distribution, or continuous action.

In some languages, reduplication is used for grammatical purposes. For example, in Tagalog, reduplication of the first syllable of a verb often indicates future tense. In Nandi, reduplication can signal plurality. In other instances, it serves to intensify the meaning of a word. The word "very very" is a simple English example of reduplication for emphasis.

Semantic functions are also common. In languages like Indonesian, reduplication can indicate distribution, as in "orang-orang" meaning "people" (plural) or the distribution of items. It can also express continuous action or state, or form descriptive adjectives. The specific rules and patterns of reduplication are language-specific, making it a rich area of study in comparative linguistics and morphology. While English uses it sparingly, often informally for emphasis, many other languages employ it systematically as a core grammatical and semantic tool.