Defining the domain of nasality in Edo

Abstract

In Aikhionbare [1986], it is demonstrated that nasality spread in Edo is most evident in alternations between verb stems and their suffixes. In other words, nasality spreads beyond the segment (across morpeme boundaries). This paper seeks to establish whether or not nasality spreads beyond the verb stem and its suffixes onto an object NP. Having defmed the domain of nasality spread, evidence for the autosegmental status of nasality in Edo is advanced. Finally, a brief autosegmental analysis of the facts of nasality in the language is attempted in line with evidence from Guarani [Lunt 1973], Gokana [Hyman 1982], Ogberia [Chumbow 1986], and Igbo [Ihionu 1986].

Keywords

• Edo
• nasal spread
• phonology
• suffix
• morpheme boundary