An Investigation of the Usage Rules of the Nominativizing Morpheme in Afaan Oromoo:

An Explorative Analysis Approach

Abstract

This study investigates the rules governing the usage of nominativizing morphemes in Afaan Oromoo, with the aim of identifying and describing the phonological and syntactic principles that regulate their application. Using a descriptive research design and an explorative analysis approach, data were drawn from 512 purposively selected lexical items and six expert scholars representing different dialects. Data collection involved discourse analysis and focus group discussions, guided by checklists, and the analysis employed linguistic elicitation techniques. The findings show that most Oromo nouns end with long vowels (/aa/, /ee/, /ii/, /oo/, /uu/), while some end with short /a/ or consonants, but none end with short /e/, /i/, or /u/. Nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs may serve as subjects when marked with nominativizing morphemes. The main forms identified are –i, –n, –ti, –ni, and –tu, which attach to words systematically rather than arbitrarily. Two broad rule sets were distinguished: phonology-based rules, which determine morpheme choice based on phonological endings, and syntax-based rules, which govern selection according to grammatical function. In total, nineteen rules were identified. These results contribute to the standardization of Afaan Oromoo, facilitate its teaching and learning as a second language, and improve digital platforms for translation between Afaan Oromoo and other languages.