Siye Verbal Morphology

Verb and Participle Structure

Verb Structure

The minimal Siye verb consists of two pronominal prefixes, one verb root, a pronominal number suffix, and a polarity-aspect-mood (PAM) suffix. The maximal Siye verb consists of two pronominal prefixes, a verb root, a pronominal number suffix, a causative or portative suffix, a "coverbal" suffix, a directional suffix, and a PAM suffix. Relational and coordinative suffixes are often classed as verbal suffixes due to the verb-final nature of Siye, but are more accurately described as clause-final suffixes, The explicit negative suffix is technically a mobile suffix, but heavily lexicalized.

Prefixes

The two prefixes are the pronominal prefixes: one for the object pronoun, and one for the subject pronoun. Pronominal prefixes work on a nominative-accusative basis.

There are two conjugations in Standard Siye: the yi-conjugation and the ya-conjugation. The yi-conjugation is the basic conjugation, while the ya-conjugation is used when the object of the clause is topicalized. The object prefix and the subject prefix can combine according to the rules of vowel dominance. If you are correcting a text using non-standard pronominal prefixes, this can be very confusing.

Object Prefix (1.)

The object prefix is used to indicate the person of the grammatical object of the clause. The object prefix can change depending on whether the verb is yi-conjugation or ya-conjugation. The last form in each list is the ya-conjugation form. The others are yi-conjugation forms.

Object Prefixes	yi-forms	ya-forms	Notes
1st	le	la
2nd	pe-	sa-
3rd animate	i-, y-	ya-	/i-/ is used before a subject prefix beginning in a consonant. /y-/ is used before a subject prefix beginning in a vowel. /ya-/ appears before either a consonant or a vowel. /n/ is not an object prefix; it is the epenthetic residue of an elided initial vowel.
3rd inanimate	e-	a-	/n/ is not an object prefix; it is the epenthetic residue of an elided initial vowel.
3rd definite	me-		/me-/ is the definite object prefix. It references a previously known argument, from noun to noun phrase to entire clause.
3rd indefinite	mu-	mu-	/mu-/ is the object prefix before all subject prefixes except /-(h)i-/ or /-(h)e-/ (for its replacement, see below). Many Siye-speakers despise this exception as a neologism. Such persons prefer to rely on nouns and pronouns to avoid ambiguity.
3rd indefinite	tum-	tum-	In Standard Siye, /tum-/ replaces /mu-/ before the 3rd person suffixes /-(h)i-/ or /-(h)e-/ in order to eliminate ambiguity. There are many Scholars, however, including the "Mooneys", who despise this neologism.
reflexive	um-	um-	Although the reflexive prefix is listed as an object prefix, reflexivity is a valency-changing operation. A reflexive verb form, therefore, although it has the prefixes of a transitive verb, is actually intransitive.

Subject Prefix (2.)

The subject prefix is used to indicate the person of the grammatical subject of the clause, for both transitive and intransitive verbs. The subject prefix is identical to the yi-conjugation form of the object prefix.

Subject Prefixes	yi-forms	Notes
1st	le-, l-	/-l-/ appears before vowel-initial verb roots.
2nd	pe-, p-	/-p-/ appears before vowel-initial verb roots.
3rd animate	i-, y-, -hi-, 0-	/y-/ appears before vowel-initial verb roots. -hi- appears between /tum-/ or /um-/ and a consonant-initial vowel root. Vowel dominance and the weak position of /i/ within the hierarchy often results in the deletion of the 3rd animate subject prefix /-i-/. The Guild of Scholars insists that this is a case of a deleted /i/ rather than a zero-marked morpheme /0-/, because intransitive verbs, which vowel dominance does not effect, maintains the subject prefix /i-/. There is no zero-marked morpheme for intransitive verbs.
3rd inanimate	-e-, -en-	/-en-/ breaks the rules of vowel dominance by appearing as a separate syllable before vowel-initial verb roots. Vowel dominance and the weak position of /e/ within the hierarchy often results in the deletion of the 3rd animate subject prefix /-e-/ (although it is retained in the portmanteau pronominal prefix /ye-/ '3-4'. The Guild of Scholars insists that this is a case of a deleted /e/ rather than a zero-marked morpheme /0-/, because intransitive verbs, which vowel dominance does not effect, maintains the subject prefix /e-/. /-en-/ occurs before vowel-initial verb roots. There is no zero-marked morpheme for intransitive verbs.
3rd definite	me-	/me-/ is the definite subject prefix. It references a previously known argument, from noun to noun phrase to entire clause.
3rd indefinite	-mu-, -m-	/-m-/ appears before vowel-initial verb roots
infinitive	ke-	/ke-/ is the infinitive suffix. Its pronominal number suffix is always -pe-.

A note on zero-marking

On occasion, in the marketplace, one will hear the use of forbidden forms. The zeal of the merchants is to be commended, but their habit of shortening forms is a moral weakness.

Furthermore, the elision of an initial /i/ or /e/ as the object or subject of a verb can lead to confusion. If the busty, lusty, and loud village girl asks /yetelo maputesumo/, how is one to know if she means seeds /yete/ (inanimate) or fruit /yete/ (animate)? She should say /emaputesumo/ for the former, and /imaputesumo/ for latter. Sadly, such grammatical integrity is seldom found in those who use poor grammar consciously.

Verb Root (3.)

Siye verb roots are the "heart" of the verb. with a maximum length of three syllables. The roots are often less defined than equivalent English verbs, because both causative suffix and the directional suffixes derive new stems from the root. The meaning of the stem may not be apparent from the meaning of the root. The primary accent of the verb is on the first syllable of the verb root.

Consonant-Initial Root

Consonant-initial roots are the most common form of roots.

Vowel-Initial Roots

Vowel-initial roots are less common than consonant-initial roots. The rules of vowel dominance are suspended at the ligature between the subject pronoun prefixes and the vowel-initial roots. The tendency, however, is toward the regularization of vowel-initial roots (especially suppletive ones). When this occurs, the initial vowel remains in deverbal nouns and participles.

Suppletive Roots

There are a limited number of suppletive roots in Siye, but they include most of the most common verbs. Many of these verbs are highly productive in their derivational interactions between the root, the causative suffix, and the directional suffixes, so it can appear to the learner that the Siye verb consists of nothing but suppletive verbs. One former suppletive root, nu/mu 'give', spontaneously regularized in the period 2200-2210. The forms derived before this date, however, retain the suppletive form. Eventually, no doubt, new regular forms wil arise.

If a verb root is suppletive, the suppletion marks a division between the perfective and imperfective aspects. This is not true of converbal suffixes.

Auxiliary Verbal Roots

Converbal suffixes often contain meanings which would be an independent verb in English. Since the verb root position cannot be empty, the semantically empty verbs -mke- (transitive) and -ne- (intransitive) fill the verb root position.

Extended Verbal Roots

The only verbal root extension documented so far is the augmentive suffix -po.

Example	Translation
im yimpuna.	The wind is blowing
impo yimpopusuna.	The North Wind blew mightily.

Derivative Verbal Roots

Derivative Verbal Roots are formed when a participle composed of the root and one or more suffix, is reinterpreted as a new root in the verb root position, thereby opening the position(s) vacated by the suffix(es). Although the derivational mechanics of this process is systematic, the complexities of the suppletive roots results in much lexical overruling of potential derivative verbal roots.

Suffixes

Grammatical Number (4.)

4. Grammatical Number

The grammatical number suffix in Standard Siye is nominative-accusative if the verb is imperfective, agreeing with the subject of a transitive clause. If the verb is perfective, the grammatical number suffix is ergative-absolutive, agreeing with the grammatical object of the transitive clause. If the noun with which the grammatical number suffix must agree is indefinite or unknown, the default number is singular.

Grammatical Number	Abbreviation	Form	Notes
Null	NUL	-ku-	The null grammatical number is a fiction of members of the Guild of Scholars who prefer systemacity over the duty to reflect the necessary distinctions for effective commerce. A Terrestrial analogy would be those letters of the Sanskrit alphabet which do not exist in any extant words but appear in the charts to eliminate asymmetry.
Singular	SG	-pu-	Also indefinite. /-p-/ is only used before the continuative suffix /-u-/ or the tense marker /-ulu-/
Dual	DU	-so-, -s-	/-s-/ is only used before the continuative suffix /-u-/ or the tense marker /-ulu-/
Paucal	PAUC	-ke-	Paucal number is generally 3-5 instances of the noun to which it applies, unless context dictates otherwise.
Plural	PL	-lo-, -l-	Plural number is generally more than 5 instances of the noun to which it applies, but context may dictate a different understanding.
Pantic	PAN	-ka-	When -ka- is used as an ethnic suffix (and here it must be stated that 'ethnic' here could be defined either linguistically or genetically), it is important to not combine this sense with the basic pantic sense.
Exclusive	EXCL	-pi-	The exclusive marker -pi- may replace the dual, paucal, or plural number if and only if the dual, paucal, or plural number is marked on the noun with which the verb agrees in number, or with the ethnic sense of -ka- as a nominal grammatical number.
Infinitive	INF	-pe-	-pe- is the pronominal number suffix which always accompanies the infinitive prefix ke-.
Colloquial	COL	-k-, -p-	/-k-/ (null, paucal, pantic), /-p-/ (singular, exclusive, infinitive) are found before the continuative suffix /-u-/ or the tense marker /-ulu-/ in non-standard Siye. The Guild of Scholars, however, has ruled the ambiguity too confusing for Standard Siye. The primary use, therefore, is in folk songs and poetry, and especially puns.

Causative (5.)

Causatives	Abbreviations	Form	Notes	Example	Translation
Causative	CAUS	-sum-	This is a valence-increasing, often derivational, suffix which changes an intransitive verb to a transitive verb, and a transitive to a ditransitive.	le nesakam eletupusumsuna	I sent the letter (probably via messenger)
				ilesupusumsuma.	I sent him.
				a ileyempusumtuna.	I showed it to him.
				le ya iletupusumnana.	I lifted him. I promoted him.
Portative	PORT	-yosam-	This is almost identical to the causative suffix, but implies that the subject or causor performed the action herself in a direct physical way.	le nesakam eletupuyosamsuna	I sent the letter (it was in my pocket)
				le ya iletupuyosamnana.	I lifted him.

Converbals (6.)

This is a rich category. If a particular converbal suffix triggers a particular aspect (perfective or imperfective), this does not mean that one will never find that suffix coupled with the other aspect. The use of the uncharacteristic aspect. however, does indicate markedness. There is only one converbal suffix per verb.

Converbal	Abbreviation	Meaning	Notes	Example	Translation
-hi-, -nam- + Imperfective	INCEPTIVE (INCP)	to begin Xing	-hi- occurs after nasal vowels, -nam- elsewhere	Umloya sili nukepu enulonam' 'nama.	They began to build the tower.
-hi-, -nam- + Perfective		to begin but not finish Xing		Umloya sili nukepu ekepunamnana.	They began but did not finish building the tower.
-hom-,-mnu-	LASC	to do X lasciviously	-hom- occurs after nasal vowels, -mnu- elsewhere	itupumnukina.	She danced lasciviously.
-ka- + Perfective	INTENTIVE/INTNT	to have resolved to X	Perfective -ka- and imperfective -te- form a strong contrast in the derivative system.	Kumayam sili nukepu eyempu' 'ka' 'na.	The Lord had resolved to see the tower.
-kaku- +Imperfective		to be unreliable at Xing		eyuluwepukakutuma.	He is an unreliable tracker.
-kaku- + Perfective		to waver on doing X		lepetusokakusuna.	You hesitated to send the two of us.
-kom-	PROM	to promise to X	-kom- can govern the Causative Construction, especially with a ditransitive root	La letumpusum' 'kom' 'na.	He promised to marry me.
-like- + Positive	FALL	to fail to X	The negative of -like- + Positive is -likeku- + Positive, not -like- + Negative	pe yeteka ipetomka' 'like' 'sunaya ...	Because you have failed to sell all the fruit …
-like- + Negative	The negative of -like- + Negative is -likeku- + Negative, not -like- + Positive	to succeed in Xing		umloya lusili ekepu' 'like' 'sunu.	The men have succeeded in building the city.
-lo-, -te-	PRAC	to to practice doing X	-lo- occurs with the imperfective aspect, -te- with the perfective. The perfective association of -te- differentiates this from the imperfective desiderative suffix -te-. This suffix -lo- always appears after the pronominal number suffix, thus there is no potential for confusion.	Epesipulonamumo?	Have been you been practicing (your) singing?
-lo-, -te-				Epeyeputenanu.	I have not been practicing singing. (*I wanted to sing)
-lote- + Positive		to pretend to X		enesakampulotema.	She pretended to write.
-lote- + Negative		to act authentically in doing X		Le sa pelipulotemu.	I really do love you. (I am not pretending to love you)
-mmu-/-num-	PERMISSIVE2/PERM2	to allow, to hinder	-num- occurs after nasal vowels; -mmu- occurs elsewhere. -mmu-/-num- is used for the notions of allowance or hindering, without the official implication of the suffix -numu-. If it is contrasted with the suffix -numu-, -mmu-/-num- indicates an allownance or hindering without official sanction.	Layeke mena tupilotu um lumsa yinumupummusuna.	This girl allowed the foreigner to steal (lit. take/receive) the birds.
-mulu-	FRUSTRATIVE/FRUST	to do X in vain		ilo anepopumulununa.	They debased the currency in vain.
-muluka-, -muka- + Perfective		to fail to do what one has resolved to do	From -mulu- + -ka-. -muka- is a stress-shortened variant.	lepekepisummulukanuna.	You have failed to kill us (said to the would-be assassins of the poet Kupi).
-muluyam-, -muyam- + Imperfective		to try	From -mulu- + -yam-. -muyam- is a stress-shortened variant.	lekusomuluyamnuma.	We (two) are trying to sleep.
-mum-,-mnu-		to do X number of times	-mum- occurs after nasal vowels, -mnu- after oral vowels	pewaku ilosupumnutuna.	I kissed her thrice.
-neme- + Perfective	TERMINAL/TERM	to stop Xing	-mme- is the form of -neme- in participles following an oral vowel. It is never used elsewhere.	Umloya sili nukepu ekepu' 'neme' 'nana.	The men stopped building the tower.
-neme- + Imperfective		can't stop Xing	-mme- is the form of -neme- in participles following an oral vowel. It is never used elsewhere.	le kenolo elapunemetuma.	I can't stop buying books.
-ni-	COOPERATIVE/COOP	to do X together	-ni- can only occur with the paucal, plural, or pantic numbers. The number restriction applies to the subject of the clause; it does not vary depending on the aspect of the verb.	lelikaninuma.	We will all die together.
-nim- + Positive	BENEFACTIVE/BEN	do X well	-he-, -ya- + Negative is dialectical	layekeya esipunimnama.	The girl sings well.
-nim- + Negative		to do X badly	-he-, -ya- + Positive is dialectical	amakimna esipunimnama.	The merchant sings badly.
-numu- + Positive	PERMISSIVE1/PERM1	to permit/forbid	-numu- indicates permission or lack thereof. In a transitive clause, the translation is 'someone is allowed to perform the action of the verb'. In a ditransitive clause using the Causative Construction, the translation is 'someone allows someone to perform the action of the verb.' If it is contrasted with the suffix -mmu-/-num-, -numu- indicates official permission.	le a elekopu' 'numu' 'ma	I am allowed/permitted to see it.
-numu- + Negative		to permit/forbid		Le petu a elekop' 'numu' 'mu.	I forbid you from seeing it.
-so-		to do twice		ilosupusotuna.	I kissed her twice.
-te- + Imperfective	DESIDERATIVE/DES	to want to X	Perfective -ka- and imperfective -te- form a strong contrast in the derivative system.	(Le) nesakam elesupusum' 'te' 'suma.	I want to send a letter.
-teka- + Realis		should X		(Le) nesakam elesupusum' 'teka' 'suma.	I should send a letter.
-teka- + Irrealis		would like to X		(Le) nesakam elesupusum' 'teka' 'sume.	I would like to send a letter.
-teku- + Imperfective		to fear X happening		lomkatekanuma.	We all fear death.
-to- + Imperfective Negative	NEGATIVE IMPERATIVE/NIMV	negative imperative	The verb requires an external object. Note that imperatives place the direct object after the verb. Imperatives do not take number suffixes but not pronominal prefixes and are second person.	Lilopusum' 'to' 'numu la!	Do not kill me!
-tum-	MOMENTANE	to do once		ilosuputumtuna.	I kissed her once.
-u-, -hu, -tam- + Imperfective	CONTINUATIVE/CONT	to continue to X	-u occurs after the shortened pronominal number suffixes -s- and -l-; -hu occurs after nasal vowels; -tam occurs everywhere else.	Tupikaya esika' 'tam' 'nama.	All the birds continued singing.
-ulu-, -hulu, -lu-	tense marker		This suffix plus perfective aspect creates a definite past tense, but with the imperfective aspect creates a strong future tense (the future cannot be definite). It replaces any other converbal suffix. -ulu- is the form after the pronominal number suffixes -s- and -l-, -lu- otherwise. After a nasal vowel, the form is -lu-, but -hulu- is a permissible alternative.	Uku um nimupu ikimpulukina.	Uhu was a good man.
-ulu-, -hulu, -lu-	tense marker			Uku Pukani um nimusopu ikimsulukina.	Uhu and Fuka were good people.
-ulu-, -hulu, -lu-	tense marker			Uku Puka yikepusum(hu)lununa.	Uhu killed Fuka.
-wi- + Imperfective Positive	IMPERATIVE/IMV	positive imperative	-wi- requires an external object. Note that imperatives place the direct object after the verb. Imperatives take number suffixes, but not pronominal prefixes and are 2nd person.	Lilosum' 'wi' 'numa yaso!	Kill those two!
-wi- + Imperfective Positive + Pronominal Prefixes	OBL	must X	When -wi- is suffixed to a verb root that possesses pronominal prefixes, it means 'must'.	Yaso ipekelosumwinuma.	You must kill these two.
-yam- + (usually) Imperfective	ABILITATIVE/ABIL	able to X	The association with the imperfective is not as strong as it is with some of the other converbals. -yam- triggers the Causative Construction in transitive verbs.	Leyaloya Nesa ekolo' 'yam' 'ma.	The men are able to see Nesa.
-yem-	ITERATIVE/ITER	to do again	-yem- does not have a characteristic aspect.	Leyaloya Nesasum itulo' 'yem' 'tuna.	The men have returned from Nesa.
-yosa- + Positive Irrealis	DUBITATIVE/DUB	supposedly	The negative of -yosa- + Positive Irrealis is -yosaku- + Positive Irrealis	amayamna yetelo etomloyosasune.	The merchant supposedly sold the seeds.
-yosa- + Negative Irrealis		certainly	The negative of -yosa- + Negative Irrealis is -yosaku- + Negative Irrealis	um lumsaloya nimuku esiloyosameku.	The foreigners certainly speak badly.

Suffixes with direct/inverse meanings cannot express negatives with the standard PAM (polarity/aspect/mood) suffix, the negative suffix -ku- and -(h)u- is affixed to the direct/inverse suffix directly.

Directionals (7.)

General Directionals

Directionals derive from suffixes indicating direction of motion; in many cases, however, the verb root and the directional suffix combine to create a discrete verb stem. The sense of motion or stationary position is encoded by the verb root and the valency of the verb complex.

General Directionals	Abbreviation	Meaning	Example	Translation	Example	Translation	Example	Translation
-ki-	DIR.STAT	in place	eletompukina	I kept it in stock	ikimpukima	She is	lesupukima	I will wander
-na-	DIR.SUPER	up			ikimpunama	She has grown up	lesupunama	I will go up
-nu-	DIR.SUB	down'			lesupunuma	I will go down	sakipo ekimpunuma	The lake has shrunk
-su-	DIR.ABL	away from	eletompusuna	I sold it			lesupusuma	I will go
-tu-	DIR.ALL	towards	eletomputuna	I bought it			lesuputuma	I will come

-ki- requires some clarification. It places emphasis on the stationary or heavily localized nature of the verb. This need not, however, be completely stationary. The basic directionals are egophoric, i.e., related to the position of the speaker, although in the case of transitive verbs the person upon whom the relative position is based may be conventionalized.

Specific Directional Suffixes

The specific directionals are directional converbal suffixes in Position 7 which refer to absolute rather han egophoric position, as the basic directionals do. The specific directionals, therefore, can only be literal directions. A sentence in which the specific directional suffix has usurped the place of a basic directional suffix must express the egophoric directional information using the Siye case system.

General Directionals	Abbreviation	Meaning	Notes
-kuna-, -una- (< kemhu-na)		from north to the Valley	-kuna- follows oral vowels, -una- nasal vowels
-kana- (< kasa-na)		from the Valley to the north	Analogical N-ana- under investigation
–kunu-, -unu- (< kemhu-nu)		from the south to the Valley	-kunu- follows oral vowels, -unu- nasal vowels
-kanu- (< -kasa-nu)		from the Valley to the south	Analogical N-anu- under investigation
-posum- (< sakipo-sum)		from the east to the west/center
-pomsu- (< pomi-su)		from the west to the east/center
-sakinu- (< saki-nu)		from the west to the east (via the River, or general)
-sakina- (<saki-na)		from the east to the west (via the River, or general)
-lutesu- ( < lupate-su)		from the east/center to the west
-posu- (< sakipo-su)		from the west to the east/center

Example	Translation
Umloya itulosakinanam Sinaluke umhikimlosumkina.	Men came from the east and settled at Shinar.
Le Nesasu Lusilisum sususuyamke iletukesumpomsuna.	I summoned the (few) messengers to Nesa from the City.
Lusilisum ya ipetupusumtuna.	You have summoned him from the city.
Lusilisum ya petu ipetupusumposumna.	You have summoned him from east westward unto you from the city.

Aspect (8.) and Polarity (9.): PAM Suffixes

Siye verbs have two aspects, perfective and imperfective, totally detached from time considerations. The perfective is used if the event is viewed as complete action or state, the imperfective if it is viewed as a continuing action or state.

Siye has two polarities, positive and negative.

Siye has two moods, realis and irrealis.

In Early (pre-Vowel Dominance) Siye, Position 8 contained aspect and mood, while Position 9 contained polarity, but vowel dominance collapsed the Positions into the PAM Suffix and triggered the analogical creation of the negative irrealis suffixes.

Various converbal suffixes control the choice of aspect, polarity, mood, or any combination thereof.

PAM Suffixes	Abbreviation	Aspect	Polarity	Mood	Notes	Early Siye
-ma-	IPFV.POS.RLS (PAM1)	Imperfective	Positive	Realis		-mea-
-na-	PFV.POS.RLS (PAM2)	Perfective	Positive	Realis		-nea-
-me-	IPFV.POS.IRLS (PAM3)	Imperfective	Positive	Irrealis		-me-
-ne-	PFV.POS.RLS (PAM4)	Perfective	Positive	Irrealis		-ne-
-mu-, -mew-	IPFV.POS.RLS (PAM5)	Imperfective	Negative	Realis	-mew- occurs before the coordinative suffix -am	-meau-
-nu-, -new-	PFV.POS.RLS (PAM6)	Perfective	Negative	Realis	-new- occurs before the coordinative suffix -am	-neau-
-meku-	IPFV.POS.IRLS (PAM7)	Imperfective	Negative	Irrealis	Subjunctive	-meu-
-neku-	PFV.POS.IRLS (PAM8)	Perfective	Negative	Irrealis	Contrafactual	-neu-

Relational (10.), Coordinative (11.), and Negative (12.)

Relational Suffixes	Name	Meaning	Notes
-ame, -me	Relative	who/what/which/that
-eki, -ki	Purpose, Result	so that, with the result that	See Siye Syntax for differentiation
-ekem, -kem	Temporal	when
-(e)su, -su, -esunam, -sunam	Apodotic	then
-esum, -sum	Conditional	if
-eya, -ya	Explanatory	because
-umo	Positive Interrogative		-amo, -mo, Eastern Provinces, Lake, Tiye
-ukumo	Negative Interrogative		-amo, -mo, Eastern Provinces, Lake, Tiye
Coordinative Suffixes	Name	Meaning	Notes
-ham, -am, -m	Coordinative	Connects two verb clauses	-ham after a nasal consonant; -am after -e- or -i-; -m after -o- or -u-
-sunam	Apodotic + Coordinative		from -su-ni-am to avoid homophony with Conditional -sum
Negative Suffix	Name	Meaning	Notes
-ku-	Negative	Negation	Originally a general floating negative suffix, it has evolved into a method of restoring negation in converbal constructions (-yosa-/-yosaku-), relational suffixes (-umo/-ukumo), and PAM suffixes (-me-/-meku-).

These suffixes except the Negative Suffix are clause final, not verb-final. A sentence with OVS word order will attach these suffixes to the inflected S.

Participle Structure

Participial Nominalizers	Name	Aspect	Notes	Example	Translation
-ki	Passive	Perfective	passive, mostly inanimate nouns	namtunaki	door
-ki	Instrumental	Imperfective	instrumental inanimate nouns	itumaki	key
-kim	Locative	Perfective	time or place in which the characteristic activity of verb no longer occurs	tomnakim	the Old Market (abandoned, not just old)
-kim	Locative	Imperfective	time or place in which the characteristic activity of verb occurs	amakim	the Market
-yam	Agent	Imperfective	active, agentive animate nouns	amayam	merchant
-yam	Agent	Imperfective	active, agentive animate nouns	susumsuyam	messenger, missionary

Siye participles are derived from Siye verbs. The verb is stripped of its pronominal prefixes and therefore the person suffix. Roots which supplete according to aspect still do so. There are more suppletive roots for participles than finite verbs, since the initial stress and the lack of any pronominal prefixes preserved weak verb-initial roots. There are three nominalizing suffixes: -yam, -ki, and -kim, creating a nominal stem which governs number and case suffixes. Instrumental Siye -ki is from Tide -gi, while Passive Siye -ki is from Tide -kë.

A converbal suffix can overrule these aspectual rules.

Example:

'one opens it' (imperfective) would be 'emunamputuma', while 'one opened it' (perfective) would be 'emunamputuna'. In order to form a participle, one drops the personal prefixes and the number suffix, leaving -namtuNa as the root. But 'open' is a suppletive root whenever possible, so the imperfective root is ituma, not namtuma, and the perfective is namtuna-, not ituna-. -ki with the imperfective is instrumental, yielding itumaki, 'that by which one opens', and therefore 'key'. -ki with the perfective is passive, yielding namtunaki, 'that which is opened', and therefore 'door'. By a similar process are derived itumakim 'lock, the place of opening', namtunakim 'broken lock, barrier', and itumayam 'opener (in this case of the door)'. But a converbal such as -neme- 'to cease' governs perfective aspect, so 'one who ceased to open' would be namnemetunayam with the perfective suppletive form, rather than immetumayam, with the imperfective suppletive form (and -mme-, the participle-only form of -neme- after an oral vowel).