1995
VIII, 87 pp.
Text language: English
This study provides an alternative hypothesis to Swahili noun morphophonemics by introducing the concept of relative chronology. Thus, it shows that the seemingly irregular outputs of morpheme contacts in Swahili follow two morphophonemic rules separated in time; one which is relevant to Swahili as a stressless language and the other to stress language. Accordingly, it demonstrates that stress was introduced in Swahili in a relatively recent period.
With regards to vowel length, this study challenges arguments presenting this feature as phonemically distinctive in Swahili. Hence, it argues that the relative vowel length observed in Swahili is dependent on the presence of stress or on morphemic contacts between vowels.
Under these links you will find further descriptions and analyses of Swahili grammar:
