Abstract:
This paper aims to analyze the factors triggering suffix ordering in the
Hangaza language spoken in Tanzania. Suffix ordering pertinent to
verb extensions has been controversial since the twentieth century.
This is because languages display general and specific morphological,
phonological, semantic, or/and syntactic linguistics features of affix
ordering of verb extension. Some scholars argue that the order of
suffixes is triggered by semantic scope, others claim that suffix
combinations are triggered by syntax and morphology, and another
group agrees that is triggered by the default templatic formative
approach. Some of the morphemes in Hangaza regarding suffix
ordering cannot be sufficiently explained in the present schematized
approaches, this needs analysis. The research used the Mirror
Principle and Morph Ordering Theories for data analysis. The former
captures the scopes of morpheme ordering with each of their meaning.
The suffix with narrow scopes appears closer to the root than the one
with a wide scope. The latter was selected for explaining silent
semantic scopes of the combined morphemes when the former
seemed inadequate such as in Bantu languages. Documentary review
and unstructured interviews were the instruments of data collection.
The paper found that the tense – aspect, tone, semantic scope,
morphotactic, personal pronouns, and phonology are factors for suffix
ordering in Hangaza language. This paper recommends that there is a
need for careful study of non-linguistic factors that may trigger affix
ordering in our natural languages to see how they behave in making
morphs to be ordered or attached from the verb root or stem.
