Morphophonemic Alternation
Morphophonemic Alternation in the Tao (Yami) language is a central and obligatory component of its grammar. It plays a major role in verb inflection, syntactic marking, and semantic role assignment. Among these alternations, the N-Morphophonemic Alternation (N-MPA) is the most systematic and pervasive. Broadly speaking, Tao alternation patterns fall into two major types:
- Alternations triggered by auxiliary verbs (producing the *Virtual Mood*), and
- Alternations within derivational prefixes (Nasal Assimilation).
1. N-MPA in the Virtual Mood
This alternation refers to obligatory inflectional changes in the verb stem when the verb is governed by certain auxiliary particles. The resulting verb form is known as the Virtual Mood (虛擬語氣).
A. Triggers for N-MPA
Virtual Mood is triggered when the main verb directly follows the following auxiliary verbs:
- ji: negation or emphasis (“not”, “certainly”).
- to / toda / todey: “then”, “suddenly”, “continuously”.
B. Rules of N-Sound Substitution (Verb Root Alternation)
When a dynamic intransitive (Agent Focus) verb enters Virtual Mood, its original AF prefix (mi-, ma-, maN-) is replaced by a nasal consonant (N-), which assimilates to the initial sound of the verb root.
| Root Initial Sound | Phoneme Class | N-Substitution Result | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| s, t, c | Coronal | n- |
salap → nalap ciwciw → niwciw |
| p | Labial | m- | panta → manta |
| k | Velar | ng- | kan → ngan |
| Vowel (i, a, o) | Vocalic | ng- + vowel |
ai → ngai isan → ngisan |
C. Suffix Alternation in Non-Agent Focus Verbs
When a Patient Focus, Locative Focus, or Instrument Focus verb follows ji or to, its suffix undergoes obligatory alternation:
| Focus Type | Indicative Suffix | Virtual Mood Suffix |
|---|---|---|
| Patient Focus (PF) | -en | -a |
| Locative Focus (LF) | -an | -i |
| Instrument Focus (IF) | i- | -an |
2. Nasal Assimilation (Derivational Alternation)
In certain derivational prefixes, the nasal consonant (N) of maN- or paN- adjusts its articulation to match the root-initial consonant. This is known as Nasal Assimilation.
| Root Initial | N Assimilation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| p, b, v | m- | pili → mamili |
| k, h, vowel | ng- |
kaod → mangaod hap → mangap |
| t, d, s, c | n- |
tapang → manapang sazang → manazang |
3. Interaction with Phonological Features
Morphophonemic Alternation interacts closely with Tao phonology, especially the glottal stop '.
- Glottal Stop Blocking: A root-initial glottal stop prevents vowel-initial roots from undergoing N-MPA. Example: 'akaw (“cultivate”) + ji → ji 'akaw (NOT *ji ngakaw)
Overall, Tao morphophonemics reflect strong alignment between verb-based syntax, auxiliary-triggered mood marking, and root-sensitive phonological rules.
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