Numeral Mutation in Lower Fungom Languages

Abstract: The languages covered in this areal numeral mutation study are some Yemne-Kimbi (Good et al 2011) also referred to as Western Beboid (Hombert 1980). These varieties are spoken in Lower Fungom in Menchum Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. This paper examines the numbers 1 to 10 that undergoes mutation when these numbers are acting as head noun modifiers or determiners. This study adds to the morpho-phonological study of numerals within Cameroon following a descriptive approach. The research is conducted with two consultants from each of the languages. As a research problem, comparatively, phonologically and syntactically, Endo-European numerals which we are used to, behave differently from those of Lower Fungom languages. They have fixed lexical form while some of those of Lower Fungom changes alongside their noun classes. Which are the classes that triggers the change and why? Our key research question, given 10 enumerative phrases in English using 10 nouns from 10 different semantic domains to be translated in Mashi and French, would the form of the numeral be the same for all the phrases in both languages? The findings reveal that, typologically, the 13 languages studied here falls into two of the three categories exhibited by numeral mutation (NMT): -NMT (minus numeral mutation), +NMT (plus numeral mutation), +NMT (plus and minus numeral mutation). In addition, only certain noun classes allow numeral mutation in numeral mutation languages. In literacy, it guides the learners when to change the pronunciation and the spelling of a number which is often different when the numbers are pronounced in isolation. Keywords: numerals, mutation, head noun, determiners, literacy