| 9 |
CV |
CCV |
V |
 |
k thiuco |
`banana’ |
| 10 |
CVC |
|
CV |
kmskuzu |
`guess
(n)’ |
| 11 |
CCV |
CV |
CV |
mheFimize |
`prescription’ |
| 12 |
|
|
V |
|
khalaceu |
`out
of . . . . . ‘ |
|
|
| The
examples of vc + (c)(c)v + cv+(c)(c)v are given below: |
| . |
 |
. |
 |
|
|
. |
. |
. |
| |
v |
cv |
awuFidu |
`pea
hen’ |
| |
|
|
awcokuwo |
`plantain
flower’ |
| |
cv |
|
|
|
| vc |
|
|
cv |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
ccv |
amlhututhu |
`air’ |
| |
ccv |
|
v |
awkhukhuo |
`egg
curry’ |
|
|
| The
occurrence of pentasyllabic words is very few. |
| The
schematic diagram of a pentasyllabic word would be : |
| vc |
+ |
cv |
+ |
cv |
+ |
cv |
+ |
cv |
| (c)v |
+ |
cv |
+ |
(c)
cv |
+ |
(c)cv |
+ |
(c)(c)v |
|
|
| The
main restriction in the application of the diagram given above is
that if the final syllable consists of ccv the C2 of that syllable
would invariably be a h (phonetically aspiration). The illustrative
examples are given below : |
 |
awlotikulo |
`to
finger (v)’ |
| asukizeli |
`baboon’ |
| osikimith |
`thank
you’ |
| narikolithi |
`coconut’ |
| ksFpeni |
`apothegiri’ |
| kutokupui |
`careful’ |
| ciluwekyeu |
`tamed
(animal)’ |
(xinu) |
|
| totiphikz |
`blouse’
|
|
|
|
| Words
having six syllable |
| Any
pent syllabic word belonging to the noun class could become a six
syllabic word by suffixing q* (plural marker). Such instances are
not considered here. Apart from that there are very few instances
of words having six syllables. Whatever little are found, are all
compound words. The schematic diagram of six syllabic word would be
|
| cv
cv cv cv cv
cv |
| In
other words, a six syllable word would consist of exclusively of cv,
cv, pattern, though one of the syllable could be of ccv in which case,
the C2 of that syllable must invariably be h (phonetically aspiration).
Illustrative examples of words having six syllables are given below.
|
| cv |
cv{ |
cv} |
cv |
cv |
cv |
mimiFiFosilo |
`spiral
dance’ |
| |
{ |
ccv
} |
|
|
|
kokthazepedo |
`district’ |
|
|
| The
syllabic pattern of the words available in Sema was discussed just
now. A general statement that could be made about it is that a majority
of the words belong to disyllabic and trisyllabic words and the most
frequently occurring pattern is either v + cv or cv + cv and if a
syllable consists of ccv, the C2 of that syllable would usually be
h (phonetically aspiration) |
