The derivational morphology of Shinasha language

Abstract This study has attempted to identify lexeme formation processes in Shinasha language. The researchers used elicitation/ linguistics interview / to collect the necessary data. Hence, Shinasha language has four word formation processes. These are derivational, compounding, reduplication and some words by changing the tone pattern of the language. With regard to nominalization: abstract, instrumental, result, gerundive and manner nominals are derived from nouns, adjectives and from verbs by suffixing bound morphemes. Concerning to Shinasha verbs, there are four types of verbs: causative, passive, reciprocal, transitive and imperative verbs which are only derived from root verbs through suffixation and by changing the sound morphemes. On the other hand adjectives are formed from nouns and verbs. The main Shinasha compound words are nouns, verbs and adjectives. They are formed by combining the same or different word classes. The third type of word formation process is reduplication. It forms frequentative and plural nouns of the language. The fourth process is tone variation; it is used to form nouns and verbs from other verbs and nouns by changing the pitch patterns of the language.