Method for word formation in Bhnong language using affixes

Abstract

This is a linguistic study of derivative words in the Bhnong ethnic minority language spoken in the Phuoc Son mountainous district in Quang Nam province in the centre of Vietnam. Derivative words are those which are formed by at least a root plus an affix. The research results have shown that Bhnong has two types of affixes which the first one is a prefix added to the beginning of a root, and the second is an infix inserting inside the root to make a word have new meaning(s). There are four prefixes pa (paq), ta, xa and ưng, and an infix ­an found. The Bhnong ethnic language data have been collected at different times since 2007 in Kađhot Mâng village in Phuoc My commune in Phuoc Son mountainous district in Quang Nam province in the centre of Vietnam because the Bhnong pronunciations spoken here are considered standard by some Bhnong ethnic elites. The methods and techniques which were used in this study were observation and recording to collect data. The description method was selected for data analysis.