Transderivational Antifaithfulness in Ekegusii Nominal Pluralization

Abstract

Nominal pluralization in Ekegusii involves combinations of the base with the noun class prefixes. However, little is known about the morphophonemic alternations in nominal pluralization. This study investigated the phonological processes involved in nominal pluralization so as to formulate the phonological constraints within the Transderivational Antifaithfulness theoretical Framework. A descriptive research design was employed to collect, analyze and describe data. The researcher generated a list of 32 plural nominals; at least two plural nominals from each noun class and identified speakers of Ekegusii in Kisii County who verified the data as acceptable. Sample data were obtained from each noun class through purposive sampling, analysed, coded into semantic classes and explained using Anti- Faithfulness Theory provided in Optimality Theory. Findings show that noun Class prefixes induce vowel deletion, alternation, lengthening, consonant mutation and deletion and they occur to simplify articulation and meet the open syllable structure requirements of Ekegusii. The phonological changes mark the winning candidates which satisfy Transderivational Anti-Faithfulness constraints which enforce violation of the related faithfulness constraints.