Die Afrikaanse en Nederlandse verkleiningsisteme - 'n vergelyking in metries-fonologiese kader

Abstract

A comparison of certain aspects of the Afrikaans and Dutch morphological systems may throw some light on the legitimacy and force of competing phonological theories. Trommelen (1982) makes an interesting and very forceful claim within the context of a non-linear metrical-phonolocial (MP-) framework by regarding as irrelevant the role played by factors such as vowel length, type of final consonants and especially accent - which are usually considered as important elements in the (linear) transformational-generative (TG) description of diminutive formation. She is of the opinion that, instead of the abovementioned elements, only the rhyme structure of the final syllable has any relevance. This claim, which has been formulated on the ground of Dutch data, is tested in the present article by referring to diminutive formation in Afrikaans. The plural in Afrikaans is used for purposes of independent evidence. The intuition of Afrikaans speakers is tested by means of a questionnaire. The extent of success achieved by the MP- and the TG-approaches is compared by referring to the results of this present investigation. It is concluded that the MP-claim does not hold fast.