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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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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