AUGMENTATIVES AND DIMINUTIVES IN YORUBA

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the use of augmentatives and diminutives in the Yoruba language, augmentatives and diminutives are morphological processes that indicate an increase or decrease in size, intensity, or significance. Despite extensive research on Yoruba morphology, the complexities of these forms remain understudied. This research employs a qualitative approach, collecting data from native speakers of Yoruba through oral interviews and translations of augmentatives and diminutives to Yoruba. The data analyzed comprised of augmentatives and diminutives forms which were extracted from stories that the informants were made to share in. This study identifies the morphemes and morphological processes involved in forming augmentatives and diminutives. The findings of the study are (i) The use of augmentatives and diminutives in Yoruba language, (ii) It is observed that Yoruba uses free morphemes (independent words) for diminutives, (iii) Insights into the morphological processes involved in the formation of augmentatives and diminutives in Yoruba language was gained. This work concludes that by exploring augmentatives and diminutives in Yoruba it fills a significant gap in existing research on linguitic morphology and it provides a deep understanding of the Yoruba language's unique characteristics and their significance in the broader context of linguitic research.