reduplikation

Reduplicated forms, or reduplikation, are a linguistic process in which a word or part of a word is duplicated to alter meaning or grammatical function. Repetition can signal plurality, aspect, intensity, iterativity, or emphasis, and may operate at phonological, morphological, or lexical levels. Reduplication occurs in many language families and shows substantial variation in form and function.

Types of reduplication include full reduplication, where the entire base is repeated; partial reduplication, where only a portion of the base is repeated; and echo or reiterative reduplication, where the repeated segment conveys iterative or emphatic nuance. Examples include Tagalog araw-araw meaning every day (day-day) and Indonesian orang-orang meaning people (the repeated noun form). In many languages this process also yields new lexical items, such as bonbon or go-go, used for onomatopoeia or stylistic effect.

Functions of reduplication are diverse. It can mark grammatical categories such as plurality or distributive interpretation, aspect or tense, and frequency. It can also express emphasis, repetition, or a playful or affectionate tone. Some languages use reduplication to derive iterative verbs that denote repeated action or habitual activity, while others use it as a productive means of forming new words or phrases.

Reduplications are well documented across language families. They are especially prominent in Austronesian languages, including Malay/Indonesian and Filipino languages, but are also attested in African, Caucasian, Indo-Iranian, and other languages. Analyses typically address how phonology interfaces with morphology and semantics, explaining reduplication as phonological copying, affixal morphology, or morpho-phonological processes tailored to each language.