Distinguishing Criteria for Compound Nouns and Noun Phrases in Kiswahili
Corresponding Author(s) : Faraja Mwendamseke
Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS),
##issue.vol## 13 ##issue.no## 1 (2024)
##article.abstract##
Compound nouns and noun phrases tend to confuse because some of the principles
governing the formation of the two nominal forms are interrelated. For example,
both are made up of two or more words with the main word governing the
compound or phrase. Linguists use various criteria to distinguish a compound noun
from a noun phrase, including prosody, meaning, lexical cohesion, and
orthography. However, these criteria still present difficulty distinguishing a
compound noun from a noun phrase. For instance, it is difficult to tell whether the
words soko dogo ‘small market’ constitute a compound noun or a noun phrase. This
is because it is not clear as to which criteria really distinguish a compound noun
from a noun phrase. This article explores the criteria that can distinguish a
compound noun from a noun phrase without any ambiguity in Kiswahili language.
It is revealed that most words do not fit in the meaning criterion, stress criterion
or orthography. The lexical cohesion criterion looks better because many words fit
in it. However, some words do not fit all the criteria due to historical changes in
the language that have caused changes in structure and meaning.
Key words: criteria, prosody
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##journal.references##
Alison, W., T. Kate & A. Bloomer. 2004. Projects in Linguistics: A Practical Guide to Researching
Language. London: Hodder Headline Group.
Bauer, L. 2004. A Glossary of Morphology. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University.
Bresnan, J. W. & S. A. Mchombo 1991. The Lexical Integrity Principle: Evidence from Bantu.
Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 13: 181–254.
Cohen, L., L. Manion & K. Morrison 2000. Research Methods in Education. Fifth Edition. London:
Routledge Flamer.
Dressler, W. U. 2006. Compound Types. In G. Libben & G. Jarema (Eds.). The Representation and
Processing of Compound Words. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 23–44.
Gichuru, T. M. 2010. Uchanganuzi wa Nomino Ambatani za Kiswahili: Mtazamo wa Mofolojia
Leksika. Master’s Dissertation, Nairobi, University of Kenyatta.
Godfrey, I. R. 2009. Management in Research Methods and Techniques. New Delhi: New Age
International (P) Ltd Publishers.
Habwe, J. & Karanja P. 2004. Misingi ya Sarufi ya Kiswahili. Nairobi: Phoenix Publishers Ltd.
Haspelmath, M. & A. D. Sims 2013. Understanding Morphology. New York: Routledge.
Johnson, F. & A. Madan 1986. Standard Swahili/English Dictionary. New York: Oxford University Press.
Katamba, F. 1993. Morphology. London: Macmillan Press.
Katamba, F. & J. Stonham 2019. Morphology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Katikiro, E. G. 2017. Tathmini ya Maana katika Maneno Ambatani ya Kiswahili. Mulika, 36: 136–152.
Kula, N. 2009. Nominal Compound in Bemba. A Talk at Word Conference on African Languages
(WOCAL 6): University of Cologne, 17–21 August 2009.
Lusekelo, A. 2019. Endocentric and Exocentric Compounds in Kiswahili. SKASE Journal of
Theoretical Linguistics, 16(4): 22–47.
Massamba, D. P. B. 2004. Kamusi Sanifu ya Isimu na Lugha. Dar es Salaam: TUKI.
Mashauri, M. A. 2018. The Interface between Morphology, Phonology and Semantics in
Standard Swahili Compound Nouns. UTAFITI, 13(2): 1–22.
Matei, A. 2008. Darubini ya Sarufi: Ufafanuzi Kamili wa Sarufi. Nairobi: Phoenix Publisher.
McCarthy, A. 2002. An Introduction to English Morphology: Words and their Structure. Edinburgh:
Edinburg University Press.
Mphasha, L. E. 2006. The Compound Noun in Northern Sotho. PhD thesis, Stellenbosch,
University of Stellenbosch.
Musehane, N. M. 2007a. Morphological Structure and Semantic Classification of Noun +Noun
Compounds. South African Journal of African Languages, 27(1): 29–42.
Musehane, N. M. 2007b. The Structure and Semantic Classification of Compounds with a
Verbal Component. South African Journal of African Languages, 27(4): 181–205.
Mustafa, S. K. 2020. Categorization of Compound Nouns in Kurdish and English. LLT Journal: A
Journal on Language and Language Teaching, 23(1): 104–115.
Newman, P. 2000. The Hausa Language: An Encyclopedic Reference Grammar. New Haven and
London: Yale University Press.
Radford, A. 2004. English Syntax: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Rugemalira, J. 2007. The Structure of Bantu Noun Phrase. SOAS: Working Papers in Linguistics,
vol. 15, pp. 135–148.
Spencer A. & A. Zwicky 1998. Handbook of Morphology. Hoboken: Wiley.
Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili (TUKI). 2019. Kamusi ya Kiswahili Sanifu. Nairobi: Oxford
University Press.