Functions of reduplication 141
The Ca reduplication in (37) serves the same function as the final-syllable re-
duplication in (38).
(38) Joko Tole rek-narek soko-na se teppang.
Joko Tole RED-AV.pull leg-DEF REL lame
‘Joko Tole pulled hard on her bad leg.’
In (38), the reduplication signals that Joko Tole pulled very hard on his wife’s
leg to cure it.
The emphatic use of reduplication also combines with other constructions.
For example, the iterative morpheme -an was shown in Chapter 4, section 1.1.9
to be a means of indicating iterative or habitual action. In (39), the surprising or
shocking nature of a habit of getting married again and again is grammatically
represented by reduplication of the verb stem.
(39) Oreng lake' rowa a-ne-bine-yan.
person male that AV-RED-wife-IT
‘That guy keeps getting married again and again.’
The emphatic use of reduplication also frequently surfaces in negative
imperatives, its function here to emphasize the importance of the hearer follow-
ing the prohibition of the speaker as well as the imperfective nature of the im-
perative stretching into the future.
(40) Ja' ka'-bukka'!
don’t RED-open
‘Don’t open it!’
(41) Ja' ma'-semma'!
don’t RED-approach
‘Don’t come close!’
Lying outside the domain of the other forms of reduplication is the special
case of reduplication with the causative prefix. As touched on in section 5.2,
when a causative form is reduplicated and the reduplicant precedes the causative
morpheme, the result can mean that the actor is only pretending or faking.
(42) Kana' juwa lo' labu tape coma bu-ma-labu.
kid that not fall but only RED-AV.CS-fall
‘That kid didn’t fall but only pretended to fall.’