The study of suffixation in Waja language plural formation

Abstract

This paper investigates and describes the process of suffixation in plural formation in Waja, a language spoken predominantly in Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State. Languages may form plurals through different inflectional or derivational strategies; in Waja, plural formation largely occurs through suffixation. The study adopts a descriptive approach to data analysis, drawing insights from Nida’s (1985) principles of descriptive linguistics. The research identifies nine plural markers used in suffixation processes in Waja: -i, -ni, -di, -ri, -wa, -ba, -ma, -ndi, and -ngi. These markers occur as affixes in the language, typically with nouns and, to a lesser extent, adjectives. Examples include: bàkόrὸ
‘donkey’ → bàkόrí ‘donkeys’ (-i marker); gόnò ‘ant’ → gὸní ‘ants’ (-i marker); msâm ‘lion’ → msâmdí ‘lions’ (-di marker); nyàngí ‘monkey’ → nyandí ‘monkeys’ (-ndi marker); prá ‘question’ → prândí ‘questions’ (-ndi marker); lѐe ‘answer’ → lѐndí ‘answers’ (-ndi marker); bàfátὸ ‘tiger’ → bàfátùní ‘tigers’ (-ni marker). The study further observes that some markers - particularly -i, -di, -ndi, and -ngi - are more productive than others. In conclusion, the paper recommends further research into pluralization processes in Waja, with a focus on productivity and distribution patterns of plural markers.