Deconstructing the verbal STAMP system of Ebira

This paper investigates linear and non-linear morphology in verbal inflection Ebira, a Benue-Congo language of Nigeria. The does not target the root, but rather occurs within pre-verbal auxiliary-like satellite units called STAMP (Anderson 2011, 2015, 2016), mnemonic for subject agreement, tense, aspect, mood, polarity. deconstructs Ebira STAMPs identifies individual sub-STAMP morphs based on extensive description Adive (1989) Scholz (1976). inflectional categories agreement (1S, 2, 3S, 1P, 3P), TAM (HABITUAL, COMPLETIVE, SUBJUNCTIVE, CONTINUOUS, PERFECT), polarity (NEGATIVE), clause-level meanings (INTERROGATIVE, 'IF', 'WHEN') are decomposed (in part) as floating tones, moras, unassociated segments, underspecified segments. While Anderson characterizes fused portmanteaux found widely West Central Africa (the Macro-Sudan Belt), we hold that 'STAMP' typological category may be too crude to assess areal typology. Instead propose investigate areality whether form constituent before exclusion verb root (requiring arguments independent transcription practices). In concluding this paper, ask why such grammatical tone tie pronounced functional load lexical roots Ebira.