What question did this study set out to answer?

To analyze the structure of nouns in Chichewa, focusing on prefixation and historical changes in usage.

April 24, 2026

A. The Noun

Key Points

To analyze the structure of nouns in Chichewa, focusing on prefixation and historical changes in usage.
Examined noun structures in Chichewa focusing on stems and prefixes.
Analyzed cases of singular nouns requiring prefixes in plural forms.
Compared Chichewa nouns with cognate words from other Bantu languages.
Identified that many Chichewa nouns consist of stems and prefixes, with exceptions.
Noted that some plural nouns require prefixation unlike their singular forms.
Confirmed that certain prefixes have worn down over time, recognizable in related Bantu words.

Abstract

§8. Noun Structure. With the exception of those of Class 10, nouns in Chichewa are composed of two formatives: stem and prefix, generally speaking, but in numerous cases only the stem is represented. However, in a number of instances the nouns which are used without prefixes in the singular require prefixation in the plural. For some, nouns of Class 5, e. g., it can be said definitely that the prefixes have disappeared or are ‘worn down’, since they can be easily recognized in cognate words of other Bantu languages. 1 It requires more historical perspective to make a similar statement for many other nouns.

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