[...] there are indeed instances of multiple reduplication in many languages and possibly in all. Examples fall into three types: a) both one-time and multiple reduplication possible with respect to the same form, with an additional meaning accruement of the same type in each case;[...] a) There are at least two kinds of meaning that may be reinforced by additional reduplication. One is emphasis: it is perhaps true in all languages that an emphatic modifier (such as "very") can be open-endedly reduplicated for additional degrees of emphasis. The other is continuity: both in MOKILESE and in SHIPIBO, increased temporal extent of an action can be suggested by additional reduplication [...]. b) An example of stages of multiple reduplication corresponding to distinct, i.e. not only quantitatively differing, meanings come from TWI. As the following examples show, the predicative form of the verb is simple, the adjectival form is once-reduplicated, and the adverbial form includes either three or four copies: duà ti y"è" f"e" "This tree is fine". mfonìnì f"èfé" "a fine picture". wògòru f"e"f"é"f"e" f"e"f"é"(f)"e"f"e" "they play very nicely." [Christaller, J. G., 1875, A grammar of the Asante and Fante language called Tshi (Chwee, Twi), Greg Press Inc, p. 47].
- Moravcsik (2004), a pag.321