Breton Mutations - Functions of Mutations

Functions of Mutations

The role which initial mutations play in Breton grammar can be divided into three categories (which are not mutually exclusive):

  • Linking (or Contact) Mutations – these occur systematically after certain words called mutators, of which there are around 100 in Breton.
tad "father" → da dad "your father"
mamm "mother" → div vamm "two mothers"
  • Gender-Number-Distinctive Mutations – these occur after the articles and in postposed adjectives to mark gender and number.
paotr "boy" (m.): ur paotr brav "a nice boy", but ar baotred vrav "the nice boys"
bro "country" (f.): ar vro vihan "the small country" but ar broioù bihan "the small countries"
tad and mamm: an tad kozh "the grandfather" and ar vamm gozh "the grandmother"
  • Mutations of Recognition – these mark the distinction between homophones (e.g. e "his" & he "her") and are useful in the comprehension of the spoken language.
e vreur "his brother" but he breur "her brother"
o zi "their house" but ho ti " your house"

Read more about this topic:  Breton Mutations

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