Yimam, 8ayeWoldemariam, Hirut2018-07-112023-11-092018-07-112023-11-091993-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7967Complex words are f ormed by applying different word fo rmation rules to simple or derived forms . This study aims a t presenting possible ways of word formations in Yam . It also tries to describe the structures and nature of the derived forms. In- this connect ion, affixation compound ing and reduplication have been dealt with as major proce s ses of word formation . Nominals, verba ls and adjectivals are formed by attaching different affixes to different roots or stems . Compounding is another type of word formation, in which two words are combined to fo r m a new one . t Moreover, more complex compounds, that is, com poun~s with three components are also possible in the language . Reduplication of words can also r esu lt in d er iv i ng new words . Reduplication of verb roots, for instance, r esults in intensive and frequentative forms. Changing tone patterns of existing words is also a possible word formation process, though not as productive as the others. .',~ : Der ived words behave differently from their Of> base forms phonologically , morphologically , ~ syntactically and semantically.enYamThesis