QUANTITY SENSITIVE FOOT REDUPLICATION IN ISBUKUN BUNUN

Abstract

This paper re-examines the phenomenon of so-called ＂total reduplication＂ in Isbukun Bunun and shows that the pattern is inaccurately classified as total reduplication due to the limited number of root types considered. When other root types are considered, it becomes clear that foot reduplication is involved instead, whereby the reduplicant copies the stress foot of the word. As shown, foot reduplication in Isbukun Bunun is quantity sensitive and is different from quantity insensitive foot reduplication, disyllabic reduplication, or full reduplication classified previously for Austronesian languages in and outside Taiwan (Blust 2009, Zeitoun and Wu 2006, Lee 2007). The findings that Isbukun Bunun does not utilize total reduplication and that foot reduplication in this language is quantity sensitive thus suggest the re-examination of total reduplication in other Bunun dialects as well as the inclusion of quantity sensitive foot reduplication in Austronesian languages in and outside Taiwan.

先前有關郡社布農語重疊詞的研究多認為郡社布農語有所謂的「完全重疊」形式（total/full reduplication），複製的範疇為完整的詞根。本文重新檢視該重疊形式，指出該重疊形式不應稱為「完全重疊」，因為該重疊形式有時並非複製完整的詞根。文獻之所以將該重疊形式誤認為「完全重疊」，乃因考量的詞根類型過於侷限所致。考量不同詞根類型後，可發現該重疊形式乃是有系統的複製位於詞尾的重音音步，即：音拍敏感型的揚抑格音步（quantity sensitive trochaic foot），因此應稱為「音步重疊」（foot reduplication）。