Reduplication Pattern
Does repeating a form change the meaning?
المعنى
A pattern where all or part of a word is repeated to express plurality, intensity, repetition, distribution, attenuation, or aspect.
طريقة التعرّف عليه
Look for repetition of sounds or words that has a grammatical or meaning effect.
أمثلة
again-again|little by little|go-go
very small|walk around|bit by bit
They talked and talked for hours.
Visual guide
BASE talk + REPEAT talk and talk = meaning shift long / repeated action or intensity / plurality
PRODUCTIVE ←────→ LEXICAL new words ok fixed only FORM: full repeat: again-again part repeat: piece + base USE: plural | intensity | aspect
نظرة على اللغة
في لغتك
Reduplication-like repetition exists in expressions and emphasis, but it is not a core productive grammar engine.
شيئًا فشيئًا.
Thing by thing / little by little.
في لغة التعلّم
Reduplication is productive in adjectives, adverbs, expressives, plurality-like and nuance-marking patterns.
Cô ấy cười nhẹ nhẹ.
she smile light-light
Learners may translate reduplicated forms literally and miss their softening or expressive effect.
Good transfer potential
This block behaves relatively similarly, so you can transfer intuition more safely between the two languages.