Echo word is a linguistic term that refers to a particular kind of reduplication which is a widespread areal feature in the languages of South Asia. Echo words are characterized by reduplication of a complete word or phrase, with the initial segment or syllable of the reduplicant being overwritten by a fixed segment or syllable. In most languages in which this phenomenon is present, echo words serve to express a meaning of "... and such; and things like that." In some cases the echo word may express a depreciative meaning as well.
Echo word usage is almost exclusively a feature of colloquial spoken speech. It is avoided in formal speech and writing in all languages.
For example, Tamil echo words are formed with a ki(i) sequence overwriting the onset and nucleus of the first syllable of the reduplicant (Keane 2001). ki- with a short vowel is used if the first syllable of the original word or phrase has a short vowel; if the first vowel is long, kii- is used instead. E.g.:
Example Tamil echo words
Tamil word
Transliteration
Meaning
புலி
puli
"tiger"
புலி கிலி
puli kili
"tigers and such; tigers and beasts like that"
பூச்சி
poochi
"insect"
பூச்சி கீச்சி
poochi kiichi
"insects and such; insects and bugs like that"
தும்மி
tummi
"sneezing"
தும்மி கிம்மி
tummi kimmi
"sneezing and such; sneezing and other inauspicious noises"
Echo words in Hindi are typically created with a fixed initial v:
aam
"mango"
aam vaam
"mangoes and the like"
tras
"grief"
tras vras
"grief and the like"
When an echo word is formed from a word that already begins with v, complete identity between the base and reduplicant is avoided by overwriting with a different fixed segment (Nevins 2005):
vakil
"lawyer"
vakil šakil
"lawyers and the like"
Persian:
vakīl
"lawyer"
vakīl makīl
"lawyers and such"
ketāb
"book"
ketāb metāb
"books and the sort"
raxt
"clothing item, attire"
raxt-o paxt
"clothes and such"
This kind of avoidance of complete identity is found in many languages with echo words. In some other languages, echo word formation simply fails in cases where an echo word's reduplicant portion would be identical to the base (Abbi 1985). This is claimed for some dialects of Tamil, for example, such that the echo word version of a word like கிழமை kizhamai "day of the week" is simply ineffable (Sankaranarayanan 1982).
(Trivedi 1990) identified twenty distinct regions within India which use different consonants or combinations of consonants in the formation of echo words. These include languages from the Dravidian, Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman and Austroasiatic families. In general, Dravidian languages form echo words with velar-initial fixed syllables (gi- or ki-). Indo-Aryan languages typically use labial fixed onsets (ʋ-, p-, pʰ-, b-, or m-). Other languages of India often use coronal fixed onsets (s-, t-, or ʈ-) or mixed systems using both labial and coronal onsets. However, there is a great deal of overlap and complexity within these systems, and they resist simple classification. For example, as seen in the examples above, Hindi typically employs labial ʋ- for echo word formation, but to avoid base-reduplicant identity it makes use of coronal ʃ-.
Echo word formation is not restricted to languages of India. It also occurs in many languages of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and other South Asian countries. Some reduplicative patterns in Persian and in Turkish and other Turkic languages have sometimes been classified as echo word formation as well.
A doctoral dissertation by A. Parimalagantham provides a detailed description of echo word usage in Tamil and Telugu [1]
Abbi, Anvita (1985). Reduplicative Structures: A Phenomenon of the South Asian Linguistic Area. Oceanic Linguistics Special Publications. pp. 159–171.
Keane, Elinor (2001). Echo Words in Tamil. Ph.D. thesis, Oxford University.
Nevins, Andrew (2005). "Overwriting does not optimize in nonconcatenative morphology". Linguistic Inquiry. 36 (2): 275–287. doi:10.1162/0024389053710693. S2CID 57563066.
Sankaranarayanan, G. (1982). "Reduplication in Tamil". Pakha Sanjam. 15: 457–464.
Trivedi, G. M. (1990). "Echo Formation". Linguistic Traits Across Language Boundaries: 51–81.
Referencesedit
^Parimalagantham, A (Dec 2008). "A study of structural reduplication in Tamil and Telugu". Language india.com. Retrieved 3 Sep 2015.
January 01, 1970
echo, word, this, article, contains, indic, text, without, proper, rendering, support, question, marks, boxes, misplaced, vowels, missing, conjuncts, instead, indic, text, linguistic, term, that, refers, particular, kind, reduplication, which, widespread, area. This article contains Indic text Without proper rendering support you may see question marks or boxes misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text Echo word is a linguistic term that refers to a particular kind of reduplication which is a widespread areal feature in the languages of South Asia Echo words are characterized by reduplication of a complete word or phrase with the initial segment or syllable of the reduplicant being overwritten by a fixed segment or syllable In most languages in which this phenomenon is present echo words serve to express a meaning of and such and things like that In some cases the echo word may express a depreciative meaning as well Echo word usage is almost exclusively a feature of colloquial spoken speech It is avoided in formal speech and writing in all languages For example Tamil echo words are formed with a ki i sequence overwriting the onset and nucleus of the first syllable of the reduplicant Keane 2001 ki with a short vowel is used if the first syllable of the original word or phrase has a short vowel if the first vowel is long kii is used instead E g Example Tamil echo words Tamil word Transliteration Meaning ப ல puli tiger ப ல க ல puli kili tigers and such tigers and beasts like that ப ச ச poochi insect ப ச ச க ச ச poochi kiichi insects and such insects and bugs like that த ம ம tummi sneezing த ம ம க ம ம tummi kimmi sneezing and such sneezing and other inauspicious noises ப ம ப paambu snake ப ம ப க ம ப paambu kiimbu snakes and such இன ன க க அப ப வர ர ண ண ச ல ல த innikki appaa varaarṇṇu collaatee Don t say Father s coming today இன ன க க அப ப வர ர ண ண க ப ப வர ர ண ண ச ல ல த innikki appaa varaarṇṇu kippaa varaarṇṇu collaatee Don t say Father s coming today and so forth Echo words in Hindi are typically created with a fixed initial v aam mango aam vaam mangoes and the like tras grief tras vras grief and the like When an echo word is formed from a word that already begins with v complete identity between the base and reduplicant is avoided by overwriting with a different fixed segment Nevins 2005 vakil lawyer vakil sakil lawyers and the like Persian vakil lawyer vakil makil lawyers and such ketab book ketab metab books and the sort raxt clothing item attire raxt o paxt clothes and such This kind of avoidance of complete identity is found in many languages with echo words In some other languages echo word formation simply fails in cases where an echo word s reduplicant portion would be identical to the base Abbi 1985 This is claimed for some dialects of Tamil for example such that the echo word version of a word like க ழம kizhamai day of the week is simply ineffable Sankaranarayanan 1982 Trivedi 1990 identified twenty distinct regions within India which use different consonants or combinations of consonants in the formation of echo words These include languages from the Dravidian Indo Aryan Tibeto Burman and Austroasiatic families In general Dravidian languages form echo words with velar initial fixed syllables gi or ki Indo Aryan languages typically use labial fixed onsets ʋ p pʰ b or m Other languages of India often use coronal fixed onsets s t or ʈ or mixed systems using both labial and coronal onsets However there is a great deal of overlap and complexity within these systems and they resist simple classification For example as seen in the examples above Hindi typically employs labial ʋ for echo word formation but to avoid base reduplicant identity it makes use of coronal ʃ Echo word formation is not restricted to languages of India It also occurs in many languages of Pakistan Afghanistan Bangladesh and other South Asian countries Some reduplicative patterns in Persian and in Turkish and other Turkic languages have sometimes been classified as echo word formation as well A doctoral dissertation by A Parimalagantham provides a detailed description of echo word usage in Tamil and Telugu 1 See also editHobson Jobson an Indian English expression adopted as the name of an Indian English dictionary Shm reduplicationBibliography editAbbi Anvita 1985 Reduplicative Structures A Phenomenon of the South Asian Linguistic Area Oceanic Linguistics Special Publications pp 159 171 Keane Elinor 2001 Echo Words in Tamil Ph D thesis Oxford University Nevins Andrew 2005 Overwriting does not optimize in nonconcatenative morphology Linguistic Inquiry 36 2 275 287 doi 10 1162 0024389053710693 S2CID 57563066 Sankaranarayanan G 1982 Reduplication in Tamil Pakha Sanjam 15 457 464 Trivedi G M 1990 Echo Formation Linguistic Traits Across Language Boundaries 51 81 References edit Parimalagantham A Dec 2008 A study of structural reduplication in Tamil and Telugu Language india com Retrieved 3 Sep 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Echo word amp oldid 1218487429, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
