On verbal and nominal plurality in languages of the Bade-Ngizim group

Abstract This paper illustrates formation processes of verbal and nominal plurals in West Chadic languages of the Bade-Ngizim group. Examples are drawn from Gashua Bade, Western Bade, and Ngizim. It is demonstrated that verbal and nominal plurals in these languages synchronically employ similar morphological processes, i. e. reduplication of a CV syllable to the left. While this is the only process attested with verbal plurals, noun plurals frequently employ additional suffixes. Beyond that, formation processes of plural imperatives are outlined. We conclude that formation processes can adequately be described while their actual functions and their use in discourse are still rather fuzzy.