Microvariation in nominal plurality in Northern Masa

Abstract

This paper describes nominal plurality and examines microvariation in the marking of plural on nouns across three closely related Northern Masa languages, namely in Gizey, Masana, and Musey. These three languages use the same set of nominal plural exponents: -Vj, -ii/-ij, and -Vgi which are reflexes of Proto-Chadic *-ai, *-i and *-aki, respectively (Newman 1990). In addition to suffixal formation, the three languages have restricted sets of suppletive plural nouns in which two further formatives can be identified, namely -n and -u. Finally, traces of an erstwhile vowel internal ablaut can be observed in a few vestigial plurals. Although these languages constitute a more or less homogeneous lectal continuum, they have developed different plural assignment systems ranging from fully morphological (e.g., Masana) to fully phonological (e.g., Gizey). The three languages also differ in their potential for number-marking (numerality). Generally, nominal plurality seems to be on the decline.