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On homophony and methodology in morphology

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Abstract

An analysis of the Afro-Asiatic prefixal conjugation is presented, arguing that the prefixal t of second and some third persons comprises two distinct morphemes. The claim is supported by intralinguistic evidence, from other verbal and non-verbal forms, and historical/comparative evidence, that has not generally been considered in this context before. The results highlight several methodological and conceptual issues in morphological theory, including the status of homophones, paradigms, and diachronic development.

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Correspondence to Daniel Harbour.

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Harbour, D. On homophony and methodology in morphology. Morphology 18, 75–92 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11525-009-9123-z

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