138 Chapter 5 Reduplication
(in section 3.2 on nouns) or the ‘pretend to X’ instance of verbs (section 3.1.3).
And some particular structures involve the combination of reduplication with a
particular affix or affixes. While some of the functions of reduplication cross-
cut lexical classes, there are important exceptions; therefore, the presentation is
organized by lexical classes.
3.1 Reduplication of verbs
3.1.1 Multiple actions
A number of meanings conveyed by reduplication of verbs or predicates can be
directly linked to the notion of multiple actions.
The first is distributivity or iteration. Reduplication of the verb can denote
the fact that the events are distributed over time or one of the arguments or both
over time and one of the arguments. The sentences in (25) and (26) are in-
stances of distribution over individuals. In (25) the subject, Ina ban Ali is plural
and in (26) the object sorat ‘letter’ is interpreted as plural, with plural letters
requiring plural writing events.
(25) Ba'ari' Ina ban Ali a-ka'-berka' ka toko.
yesterday Ina and Ali AV-RED-run to store
‘Yesterday Ina and Ali ran to the store.’
(26) Ale' les-noles sorat dha' bibbi-na.
yngr.sibling RED-AV.write letter to aunt-DEF
‘Little sister wrote letters to her aunt.’
The sentences in (27) and (28) are instances of events distributed over time,
which denotes iteration. As both the agent and theme arguments are singular,
this is the only conceivable distribution signaled by the reduplication.
(27) Hasan kol-mokol Ali.
Hasan RED-AV.hit Ali
‘Hasan hit Ali a bunch of times.’
(28) Pangeran Cakraningrat karaton-na le-ng-alle.
Pangeran Cakraneigrat palace-DEF RED-AV-move
‘Pangeran Cakraningrat moved his palace from place to place.’
A second construction in which reduplication directly reflects plurality of
events is in reciprocals. One way of forming reciprocals in Madurese is through
reduplication of the verb root and the suffixation of the iterative morpheme -an.