Verbalization in Yam

Abstract

This study tries to present verb formation processes in yam language. The theoretical framework followed is the
weak lexicalists hypothesis that treates only derivational morphology under the domain of the lexicon.

In Yam, there are three types of verb stems derived from verbal roots. These are causatives, passives frequentatives and intensives. The first two are formed

by affixation whereas the last two use reduplication. All such processes are. non-category changing. In other words·; their effects are on subcategorizations rather than on categorial membership. Each type is presented as follows: