-iyya

Hausa edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from Arabic ـِيَّة (-iyya).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /-íj.jàː/
- (Standard Kano Hausa) IPA^(key): [-ɪ́j.jàː]

Suffix edit

-iyyā̀ f

Used as a nisba suffix to form abstract nouns, often for systems or periods of time.

Usage notes edit

This suffix is largely nonproductive, but has been extended to some words, both derived from Arabic and not. The tone pattern it sets is low-high-low.