Reduplication

[Davius Sanctex]

1) Reduplication in nouns
2) How does reduplication work in verbs?
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1) REDUPLICATION IN NOUNS
Nahuatl uses reduplication for two purposes. In nouns it forms plurals like
in:

sg. to:ch-in /pl. TO:-to:ch-tin 'rabbit'
sg. koyo-tl / pl. KO:-koyo-h 'coyote'
sg. koa-tl / pl. KO:-koa-h 'snake'
sg. tepe:tl / pl. TE:tepe:-meh 'mountain' (and inanimate???)
sg. tlaka-tl / pl. TLA:-tlaka-h 'person'
sg. teo:-tl / pl. TE:-teo:-meh 'god'

Here the rule is simple, first consonant and vowel (lengthened) are reapted,
this feature may be that of proto-language; Papago shows:

sg. bana / pl. BA:bana = koyo-tl 'coyote'
sg. tini / pl. TI:tini = ten-tli 'mouth'
sg. kuna / pl. KU:kuna = mamic-tli 'husband'
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2) REDUPLICATION IN VERBS
In verbs reduplication indicates frequentative actions. The rule is not
simple. Sometimes reduplications first vowel is lengthened. Other is second
vowel:

me-ME:ya        'to flow out'
a:-se-SE:ya     'to cold by means of water; to rot'
pi-pi:na-wi     'to feel ashamed'

In others, it seems no vowel to be long:

kwe-kwets-oa    'to twist'
te-pa-pašiw-a   'to flat'

Are there some rule that determines reduplication type in verbs?

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