Le lexique wolof : quelques éléments de procédés de dérivation nominale et aspects phonologiques

Abstract

We propose an analysis of lexical units of the Wolof lexicon, focusing on major phonological facts that are found in both the deep and surface structure of the lexicon, and which show a certain regularity in their formation mechanisms. We address the semantic aspect of affix-like morphemes; derivational affixes having a meaning akin to that of a Polguère’s lexicon (2016: 62). The combination of morphemes and how it contributes to the construction of meaning is the second aspect addressed. Ka (1981, 1985, 1988) has dealt with the question of derivation in Wolof and has provided descriptive elements that serve as a basis for our work. In addition to the descriptive aspects, the issues raised in this study are lexical in nature. In order to corry out a systematic study of the lexicon, which is itself anything but systematic in nature, it will be necessary to evoke the morphophonological aspects that govern lexeme formation. The lexicon is unique in that it lies at the crossroads of all levels of language analysis.