Tone Patterns in Rere (Koalib) Inalienable Possessives

Abstract

This article is a description and analysis of tone patterns in Rere inalienable possessive constructions. Rere, an under-documented Kordofanian language spoken in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan, exhibits both alienable and inalienable personal possessives. Alienable possessives employ possessive pronouns followed by the noun. Inalienable possessives are marked by bound person suffixes. The suffixes bear different tone depending on the root they attach to, and the root can differ tonally depending on nominative or accusative case. We argue that the tone that expones case fits with Rere’s general pattern of case marking via tone changes, but the suffixes differ tonally predictably depending on the underlying tone of the root. The findings of this study contribute to understanding Rere’s complex tone patterns and enhancing knowledge of Kordofanian languages in general.