Editing Tuvaluan language (section)

== Morphology ==
In Tuvaluan, there is virtually no inflectional or derivational morphology – Tuvaluan uses markers to indicate case, tense, plurality, etc. The table below, adapted from Jackson's ''An Introduction to Tuvaluan'', outlines the main markers, although  there are also negative and imperative derivatives. Vowel gemination can also sometimes illustrate semantic change.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Marker
! Function/meaning
|-
| {{lang|tvl|e}}
| present tense marker
|-
| {{lang|tvl|ka}}
| future tense marker
|-
| {{lang|tvl|kai}}
| 'ever'
|-
| {{lang|tvl|ke}}
| 1. 'should' (imperative)
2. 'and', 'so that...'
|-
| {{lang|tvl|ke na}}
| imperative (polite)
|-
| {{lang|tvl|ko}}
| present perfect tense marker
|-
| {{lang|tvl|koi}}
| 'still' (continuing action)
|-
| {{lang|tvl|ko too}}
| 'too'
|-
| {{lang|tvl|o}}
| 'and', 'to' (connector between verbs)
|-
| {{lang|tvl|ma}}
| 'lest, if something should'
|- 
| {{lang|tvl|mana}}
| 'lest it should happen'
|-
| {{lang|tvl|moi}}
| 'if only'
|-
| {{lang|tvl|ne}}
| past tense marker
|-
| (no marker)
| imperative command
|}

Reduplication is one of the most common morphological devices in Tuvalu, and works in a wide variety of ways. Firstly, it operates on verbs and adjectives. Jackson lists six ways it can function:

* Intensification of action:
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|indent=4|filemu → fifilemu|{‘peaceful, quiet’} {} {‘to be very peaceful, quiet’}|}}
* Diminished action:
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|indent=4|fakalogo → fakalogologo|{‘to listen carefully, obey’} {} {‘to listen casually’}|}}
* Continued, repeated action:
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|indent=4|tue → tuetue|{‘to shake, dust off’} {} {‘to shake, dust off repeatedly’}|}}
* A more widely distributed activity:
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|indent=4|masae → masaesae|{‘to be ripped, torn’} {} {‘ripped, torn in many places’}|}}
* Pluralisation:
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|indent=4|maavae → mavaevae|{‘separated, divided’} {} {‘divided into many parts’}|}}
* Change of meaning:
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|indent=4|fakaoso → fakaosooso|{‘to provoke’} {} {‘to tempt’<ref name="Jack"/>}|}}

The prefix {{lang|tvl|faka-}} is another interesting aspect of Tuvaluan. It operates as a ‘causative’ – to  make a verb more ‘active’, or shapes an adjective ‘in the manner of’. Jackson describes {{lang|tvl|faka-}} as the most important prefix in Tuvaluan.<ref name="Jack"/>

<blockquote>
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-2}}
'''Adjectives:'''
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|llei → fakallei|{‘good’} {} {‘to make good, better, reconcile’}|}}
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|aogaa → fakaaogaa|‘useful’ {} {‘to use’}|}}
{{Col-2}}
'''Verbs:'''
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|tele → fakatele|{‘run, operate’} {} {‘to operate, to run’}|}}
{{interlinear|lang=tvl|fua → fakafua|{‘to produce’} {} {‘to make something produce’<ref name="Jack"/>}|}}
{{Col-end}}
</blockquote>