MEANING AND FUNCTIONS OF AFFIXES IN BURA AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES

Abstract

This study examines the meaning and functions of affixes in Bura and English. It compares Bura and English affixes to determine their meaning and functions in word formation. The theoretical framework draws on Haspelmath’s account of morpheme, lexeme, and word-based approaches. Data were collected from five educated native Bura speakers. Findings show that Bura affixes have independent grammatical and semantic functions, are easier for native speakers to handle, and often form compounds that appear as clauses when glossed in English. The study highlights the need for pedagogic materials on Bura affixes.