What is reduplication?

• A. The entire word is repeated
• B. Second syllable is a reduplication of the first syllable
• C. A consonant cluster is added
• D. Vowels are deleted

Answer: (B)

Reduplication is when part of a word, or the whole word, is repeated to change its meaning or function. The described case—the second syllable repeating the first syllable—fits a common pattern where a syllable is copied to form a doubled word. This kind of partial reduplication often creates forms that convey emphasis, repetition, or familiar/iterative sense in a language. While repeating the entire word is also a form of reduplication, the scenario here focuses on copying the first syllable into the second, which is the quintessential example of partial reduplication. Consonant clusters added or vowels deleted are not reduplication because they modify the word through addition or removal rather than duplicating a segment.