Games

Punjabi is a very complex language, and it is structured quite differently than English- in Panjabi there are many different ways in which to construct words from morphemes. There is no concept of infixes, reduplication, or portmanteau. Circumfuses are rare, as are prefixes. However, the Panjabi language leans very heavily on the use of suffixes, and interweaving is also used very frequently; both are sometimes used together when referring to a certain root or base morpheme. Morphemes may be added as a suffix to create words that are tightly related, and they may be interspersed within that root to create a different, but related set or words. These may be further modified with additional suffixes- though this is rare.
There are a wide range of word games in Panjabi; many of them center on improving pronunciation. Most are centered on building a larger vocabulary and improving comprehension of the language. One such game is also built around the process of interweaving; and is played with children who are just beginning to speak. The parent or caretaker gives the child the root, or simply the best known word which contains the root and an additional morpheme. For example, the parent may say the root “k-a-” to do with food. The child is then expected to name all the different words which have suffixes and which interwoven. So the child may reply with “Khana, (food) Khanana (without food), Khanahai (there is food), Khanado (give me the food), Khanaedo (let me eat) Khanatha (there was food); Kao (eat), Kaona (please eat), Kilao (feed/give him food), Kilvao (make him eat), Kilvana (making him eat), Kilana (make him eat right now), Kiliatha (I served him already), Kalia (I ate already), Kilathahai (He is serving food), Kilathithai (She is serving food); Kilanevala (cook). The list is actually far longer than just this.
Pig Latin is a syllable-based game. However, the Punjabi game, the emphasis is on extending vocabulary pertaining to a particular morpheme. In the Punjabi language there is not concept of syllables- although they may have syllables in their words, they are just considered to have any meaning. C.P.’s parents had no conception about a syllable until they learned English. In addition, with 39 constants in the language there is no utilization of consonant clusters. In English consonant clusters are common, however in Punjabi a certain consonant cluster sound in English would be a single letter in Panjabi. There is one letter for every single English phoneme plus a few extra, each with their own letter. For example, the English phoneme Sh a very common cluster in English is a single consonant (one letter) in Punjabi. It is a very complex language, and is truly fascinating.