Final Vowels in Deverbative Nouns in OshiKwanyama

Abstract

This paper examines the formation of nouns in OshiKwanyama which are derived from verb stems. Almost all verb steins end in a consonant; however, the phonological constraints on word shape in OshiKwanyama require that all words end in vowels. Verb stems are always followed by tense marking vowels; thus, deverbative nouns must add final vowels. Even though the constraint which requires the addition of these final vowels is phonological, it appears that some of these vowels act like morphemes.