Reduplication

Reduplication is a linguistic process in which all or part of a word or its stem is repeated. The repetition can be exact or phonologically adjusted, and it may contribute to grammatical meaning or lexical nuance. Reduplication is attested in many languages and can function at the level of morphology, phonology, or syntax.

There are several types. Full reduplication repeats the entire word or stem (for example, Malay and Indonesian rumah-rumah “houses”, orang-orang “people”). Partial reduplication repeats only a syllable or part of the word (for example, Tagalog araw-araw “every day”, lakad-lakad “to go for a walk”). Reduplication can be productive, producing new words or grammatical forms, or it can be lexicalized as a fixed form in the language.

Functions vary by language. Reduplication often marks plurality, iterative or frequentive aspect (repeated action), or intensity. In Austronesian languages such as Indonesian and Tagalog, reduplication is a productive morphological process. English and other languages use reduplication mainly in fixed expressions and for emphasis or stylistic effect (for example go-go boots, mumbo-jumbo).

Typologically, reduplication is widespread and diverse. It can be exact or phonologically altered, and may interact with morphological tone, stress, or phonology. It remains a key device for expressing repetition, plurality, or aspect in many languages.