Datapoint Haitian Creole/Functions of reduplication

Reduplication marks high intensity and is very important in child-directed speech.

Values

Attenuating function

Example 49-65:
Ann al fè on ti benbeny!
Ann
imp.1pl
al
go
fè
do
on
indf
ti
little
benbeny!
bath
Let's take a little bath!
French: Allons prendre un petit bain!
Example 49-66:
M ap fè travay la pwòp pwòp.
M
1sg
ap
inacc
fè
do
travay
work
la
def
pwòp~pwòp.
proper~proper
I will do this work very neatly.
French: Je vais faire ce travail très proprement.

Source: Fattier 1998: 930

Example 49-67:
M t ap koud pantalon an anfòm anfòm.
M
1sg
t
ant
ap
inacc
koud
sow
pantalon
pants
an
def
anfòm~anfòm.
impeccable~impeccable
I was [in the process of] sowing these pants impeccably.
French: J'étais en train de coudre ce pantalon très impeccablement.

Source: Fattier 1998: 930

Example 49-68:
Gad jan figi tifi a takte takte.
Gad
look
jan
how
figi
face
tifi
young.girl
a
def
takte~takte.
speckled~speckled
Look how speckled the young girl's face is.
French: Regarde comme le visage de la jeune fille est tacheté.
Example 49-69:
Se ti zoranj piti piti piti piti piti yo.
Se
hl
ti
little
zoranj
orange
piti~piti~piti~piti~piti
little~little~little~little~little
yo.
3pl
These are the tiny little oranges.
French: C'est les petites oranges microscopiques.

Source: Fattier 2002: 123

Example 49-70:
Sa ou genyen toutou? Pe pe bouch ou!
Sa
dem
ou
2sg
genyen
have
toutou?
doggie
Pe~pe
peace~peace
bouch
mouth
ou!
2sg.poss
What's wrong honey? Calm down!
French: Qu'y a t-il chéri? Calme-toi!

Source: Fattier 1998: vol. 6, p. 57

Confidence:
Very certain