A Morphophonological Analysis of the Applicability of Nasalisation Principles in Lungu, Mambwe and Namwanga Languages

The paper explores the similarities and variations in applicability of nasalisation principles Lungu, Mambwe Namwanga (LuMaNa) languages. LuMaNa languages are spoken Northern Muchinga provinces Zambia. Lungu is classified as M14, M15 M22. study used CV phonology comparative Bantu morphophonological theories qualitative methods. Results reveal that nasal homorganic assimilation depends on consonant which follows nasal, such as, a voiceless cluster /nk/ when velar /k/ /n/ voiced /ng/ /g/ /n/. Nasal deletion before fricatives from singular to plural forms nouns not attested, instead undergo maintenance where /n/→/n/. only possible during reverse formation /m/→/l/ /n/→/l/. post-nasal stop voicing happens converting /l/→/n/. Post-nasal hardening occurs using /l/→/d/, /n/→/m/ /w/→/b/. aspiration in; /p/→/ph/. There more than shows at dialectal continuum.