<p><a href="https://wals.info/chapter/27" rel="noreferrer">WALS Chapter 27</a> describes a number of functions for reduplication. All examples below come from chapter 27 unless otherwise noted.</p>

<h1>On nouns</h1>

<p>Pangasinan uses reduplication to mark plurals:</p>

<pre><code>báley "town"
balbáley "towns"
</code></pre>

<p>Ilocano uses reduplication on nouns to mark a distributive plural:</p>

<pre><code>sábong "flower"
sabsábong "various flowers"
</code></pre>

<p>Ilocano also uses reduplication to turn nouns into reciprocal verbs:</p>

<pre><code>bales "revenge"
balembales "to avenge each other"
</code></pre>

<p>Chukchi uses reduplication to mark the absolutive case:</p>

<pre><code>jokwat "eider duck"
jokwajow "eider duck (ABS)"
</code></pre>

<p>Kayardild uses reduplication to turn nouns into adjectives:</p>

<pre><code>kandu "blood"
kandukandu "red"
</code></pre>

<p>Yawelmani uses reduplication to mark associatives:</p>

<pre><code>k'ɔhis  "buttocks"
k'ɔk'ɔhis  "one with large buttocks"
</code></pre>

<h1>On verbs</h1>

<p>Luiseño uses reduplication to mark the number of an inherent object:</p>

<pre><code>lawi "to make a hole"
lawlawi "to make two holes"
lawaláwi "to make more than two holes"
</code></pre>

<p>Mountain Arapesh uses reduplication to mark carelessness on the part of the subject or agent:</p>

<pre><code>su "to touch"
susu "to touch all over"
</code></pre>

<p>Luiseño also uses reduplication to turn a verb into an adjective:</p>

<pre><code>lepi "to tan, soften"
lepélpiš "pliable"
</code></pre>

<p>Ancient Greek used reduplication to mark the perfect aspect (<a href="https://ancientgreek.pressbooks.com/chapter/42" rel="noreferrer">Ancient Greek Press Book Chapter 42</a>):</p>

<pre><code>γράφ "write"
γέγραφ "have written"
</code></pre>

<p>Tigak uses reduplication to turn a verb into a person who regularly performs that action:</p>

<pre><code>giak "send"
gigiak "messenger"
</code></pre>

<h1>On Adjectives</h1>

<p>Turkish uses reduplication to mark intensity:</p>

<pre><code>beyaz "white"
bembeyaz "very white"
</code></pre>

<h1>Automatic Reduplication</h1>

<p>Additionally, automatic reduplication is possible, where an affix requires reduplication of the root with no additional meaning. Chapter 27 gives this example from Ilocano:</p>

<pre><code>singpet "behave" + agin-
aginsisingpet "pretend to behave"
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-22T03:22:13.410Z
In Austronesian languages it frequently marks repetitive or progressive aspect.
curiousdannii
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-18T21:55:17.143Z
The reduplication of adjectives to mark intensity is also found to some extent in Swedish. E.g. "Den är lite lite för stor" - "It is ever so slightly too large", or "En hård hård knut" - "A very hard knot".
Edvin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-20T15:29:02.133Z
2020-05-20T15:29:02.133Z
OpenAI was the last straw
<p>According to <a href="https://wals.info/feature/27A" rel="noreferrer">WALS Feature 27A</a>, 278/368 languages surveyed have productive full and partial reduplication. <a href="https://wals.info/chapter/27" rel="noreferrer">Chapter 27</a> gives the following example of partial reduplication in Pangasinan:</p>

<pre><code>báley "town" -&gt; balbáley "towns"
</code></pre>

<p>And this example of full reduplication from Sahaptian:</p>

<pre><code>té:mul "hail" -&gt; temulté:mul "sleet"
</code></pre>

<p>But what is reduplication often used to express?</p>

<conlang-creation><naturalism><morphology><natural-languages>
What is reduplication used for in natural languages?
# What is reduplication used for in natural languages?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-20)

According to [WALS Feature 27A](https://wals.info/feature/27A), 278/368 languages surveyed have productive full and partial reduplication. [Chapter 27](https://wals.info/chapter/27) gives the following example of partial reduplication in Pangasinan:

```
báley "town" -> balbáley "towns"

```

And this example of full reduplication from Sahaptian:

```
té:mul "hail" -> temulté:mul "sleet"

```

But what is reduplication often used to express?

**Tags:** conlang-creation, naturalism, morphology, natural-languages


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2020-05-20. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

[WALS Chapter 27](https://wals.info/chapter/27) describes a number of functions for reduplication. All examples below come from chapter 27 unless otherwise noted.

# On nouns

Pangasinan uses reduplication to mark plurals:

```
báley "town"
balbáley "towns"

```

Ilocano uses reduplication on nouns to mark a distributive plural:

```
sábong "flower"
sabsábong "various flowers"

```

Ilocano also uses reduplication to turn nouns into reciprocal verbs:

```
bales "revenge"
balembales "to avenge each other"

```

Chukchi uses reduplication to mark the absolutive case:

```
jokwat "eider duck"
jokwajow "eider duck (ABS)"

```

Kayardild uses reduplication to turn nouns into adjectives:

```
kandu "blood"
kandukandu "red"

```

Yawelmani uses reduplication to mark associatives:

```
k'ɔhis  "buttocks"
k'ɔk'ɔhis  "one with large buttocks"

```

# On verbs

Luiseño uses reduplication to mark the number of an inherent object:

```
lawi "to make a hole"
lawlawi "to make two holes"
lawaláwi "to make more than two holes"

```

Mountain Arapesh uses reduplication to mark carelessness on the part of the subject or agent:

```
su "to touch"
susu "to touch all over"

```

Luiseño also uses reduplication to turn a verb into an adjective:

```
lepi "to tan, soften"
lepélpiš "pliable"

```

Ancient Greek used reduplication to mark the perfect aspect ([Ancient Greek Press Book Chapter 42](https://ancientgreek.pressbooks.com/chapter/42)):

```
γράφ "write"
γέγραφ "have written"

```

Tigak uses reduplication to turn a verb into a person who regularly performs that action:

```
giak "send"
gigiak "messenger"

```

# On Adjectives

Turkish uses reduplication to mark intensity:

```
beyaz "white"
bembeyaz "very white"

```

# Automatic Reduplication

Additionally, automatic reduplication is possible, where an affix requires reduplication of the root with no additional meaning. Chapter 27 gives this example from Ilocano:

```
singpet "behave" + agin-
aginsisingpet "pretend to behave"

```

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In Austronesian languages it frequently marks repetitive or progressive aspect.  
> **username_2**: The reduplication of adjectives to mark intensity is also found to some extent in Swedish. E.g. "Den är lite lite för stor" - "It is ever so slightly too large", or "En hård hård knut" - "A very hard knot".  

---

