Siye Verbal Morphology

Verb and Participle Structure

Verb Structure

The maximal Siye verb consists of two prefixes, a verb root, and seven suffixes. The prefixes, root, and suffixes interact extensively with each other to form verb phrases that would require several words in English.

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.

1. Object Prefix

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.

le-, la-: 1st person (1)

pe-, sa-: 2nd person (2)

i-, y-, ya-: 3rd person animate (3)

/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 consonants or a vowel. /n/ is not a subject prefix; it is the epenthetic residue of an elided initial vowel.

e-, a-: 3rd person inanimate (4)

/n/ is not a subject prefix; it is the epenthetic residue of an elided initial vowel.

me-: 3rd person definite (DEF)

/me-/ is the definite object prefix. It references a previously known argument, from noun to noun phrase to entire clause.

mu-: 3rd person indefinite (INDEF)

/mu-/ is the object prefix before all subject prefixes except /-(h)i-/ or /-(h)e-/ (for its replacement, see below). Many Siye-speakers, however, intensely dislike the neologism, and prefer to rely on pronouns and nouns to avoid ambiguities.

tum-: 3rd person indefinite (INDEF.ACC)

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.

um-: reflexive (REFL)

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.

2. Subject Prefix

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.

-le-, -l-: 1st person (1)

/-l-/ appears before vowel-initial verb roots.

-pe-: 2nd person (2)

/-p-/ appears before vowel-initial verb roots.

-i-, -y-, -hi-, -0-: 3rd person animate (3)

/-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.

-e-, -en-: 3rd person inanimate (4)

/-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-/ occurrs before vowel-initial verb roots. There is no zero-marked morpheme for intransitive verbs.

-me-: 3rd person definite (DEF)

/me-/ is the definite subject prefix. It references a previously known argument, from noun to noun phrase to entire clause.

-mu-, -m-: 3rd person indefinite (INDEF)

/-m-/ appears before vowel-initial verb roots.

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 knowingly.

Root

Siye verb roots are the "heart" of the verb. 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. Polysyllabic verb roots may end in any syllable except those homophonous with the grammatical number suffixes (ku, pu, so, ke, lo, ka).

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, since the verb root is the more important component.

Suppletive Roots

Although there are a limited number of suppletive roots in Siye, the suppletive roots encompass most of the most common verbs. Since some of these verbs are highly productive in their derivational interactions between the root, the causative suffix, and the directional suffixes, it can appear to the SSL learner that the Siye verb consistents of nothing but suppletive verbs.

If a verb root is suppletive, the suppletion marks a division between the perfective and imperfective aspects.

Suffixes

Grammatical Number

4. Grammatical Number

The grammatical number suffix in Standard Siye works on a nominative-accusative basis if the verb is imperfective and therefore agrees with the subject of a transitive clause (there is only one noun in an intransitive clause and therefore no choice). If the verb is perfective, however, the grammatical number suffix works on an ergative-absolutive basis and agrees with the grammatical object of the transitive clause. When the noun with which the grammatical number suffix must agree is indefinite or unknown, the default number is singular. The grammatical number suffix is obligatory in a Siye verb.

-ku-: null number (NUL)

-pu-: singular number (also indefinite) (SG)

-so-, -s-: dual number (DU)

/-s-/ is only used before the continuative suffix /-u-/ or the tense marker /-ulu-/.

-ke-: paucal number (PAUC)

-lo-, -l-: plural number (PL)

/-l-/ is only used before the continuative suffix /-u-/ or the tense marker /-ulu-/.

-ka-: pantic number (i.e., all); sometimes ethnic (PAN)

-pi-: exclusive marker (replaces dual, paucal, plural) (EXCL)

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.

/-k-/ (null, paucal, pantic), /-p-/ (singular, exclusive) 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.

Causative

5. Causative

-sum-: causative

Derivatives

6. Derivatives

This is a semiproductive category and Terrestrial researchers are discovering new ones. If a particular derivative 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 derivative suffix per verb.

-hi-, -nam-: 'begin to X' (INCEPTIVE). -hi- occurs after -sum-; -nam- occurs everywhere else.

-hi-/-nam- triggers the imperfective aspect.

-(h)u-, -tam-: 'continue to X' (CONTINUATIVE). -u occurs after -s- and -l-; -hu occurs after -sum-; -tam occurs everywhere else.

-(h)u-/-tam- triggers the imperfective aspect.

-ka-: 'have resolved to X' (INTENTIVE)

-ka- always triggers the perfective aspect. -ka- and -te- form a strong contrast in the derivative system.

-neme-: 'stop X-ing' (TERMINAL)

-neme- normally triggers the perfective aspect.

-te-: 'want to X' (DESIDERATIVE)

-te- always triggers the imperfective aspect. -ka- and -te- form a strong contrast in the derivative system.

-teka- 'should/must X' (+me, +meku)(MANDATORY)

-teka- triggers the subjunctive or contrafactual moods.

-to-: negative imperative 'do not X'. (IMV.NEG)

-to- triggers a negative aspect/polarity/tense suffix.

-ulu-: tense marker. (TENSE) -ulu- plus perfective aspect suffix -n- creates a definite past tense; -ulu- plus imperfective aspect suffix -m- creates strong future tense.

-wi-: positive imperative 'do X'

-wi- triggers a positive aspect/polarity/tense suffix.

-yam-: 'able to X'

-yam- usually triggers the imperfective aspect, but the association is not as strong as it is with some of the other derivatives.

-yem-: iterative 'again'

Directionals

7. 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.

-ki-: 'in place' (DIR.STAT)

-na-: 'up' (DIR.SUPER)

-nu-: 'down' (DIR.SUB)

-su-: 'away from' (DIR.ABL)

-tu-: 'towards' (DIR.ALL)

The other suffixes are fairly self-explanatory, but -ki- probably requires some clarification. The suffix -ki- places emphasis on the stationary nature of the verb. Examples:

eletomputuna I bought it

eletompusuna I sold it

eletompukina I kept it in stock

ikimpukima She is

ikimpunama She has grown up

sakipo ekimpunuma The lake has shrunk

lesupunama I will go up

lesupunuma I will go down

lesupusuma I will go

lesuputuma I will come

lesupukima I will wander

Aspect and Polarity

8 & 9. Aspect (8) & Polarity (9)

Several concepts are conflated in these suffixes. The first is aspect. Siye verbs have two aspects, perfective and imperfective. SIye aspect, at least in the realis, is 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 realis divides into two polarities: positive and negative.

-ma-: imperfective positive realis

-na-: perfective positive realis

-me-: imperfective positive subjunctive

-meku-: imperfective negative subjunctive

-ne-: perfective positive contrafactual

-neku-: perfective negative contrafactual

-mu-, -mew-: imperfective negative realis. -mew- occurs before the coordinative suffix -am.

-nu-, -new-: imperfective negative realis. -new- occurs before the coordinative suffix -am.

Relational

10. Relational

-(a)me: Relative 'who/what/which/that'

-(e)ki: Purpose, 'so that', Result, 'with the result that'

-(e)kem: Temporal, 'when'

-(e)su: Apodotic, 'then'

-(e)sum/-(e)sunam: Conditional, 'if

-(e)ya: Explanatory, 'because'

-umo: positive interrogative (dial. -(a)mo, Eastern Provinces, Lake)

-ukumo: negative interrogative (dial. -(a)mo, Eastern Provinces, Lake)

These suffixes and the coordinative suffix are clause final, rather than verb-final. A sentence with OVS word order, i.e., one in which the subject is the final word, will take these suffixes even though the nouns retains its original case.

Coordinative

11. Coordinative

-(h)(a)m: 'and'. The coordinative suffix is -ham after a syllable containing a nasal consonant; -am after a syllable ending in the vowels -i or -e; -m after a syllable containing ending in vowel -u. The expected form -sum 'then and' is homophonous with -sum 'if', so the Standard Siye form of 'then and' is -sunam (< -su-ni-am). A pronominal root combined with a coordinative suffix is considered in Siye grammar to be a special form of pronoun.

Negative

12. Negative (floater)

-ku: negative

Miscellaneous Information

Positions 1 and 2 often combine due to Vowel Dominance. There are two conjugations, yi-conjugation and ya-conjugation. The ya-conjugation is object-prominent. Position 3 is often suppletive depending on aspect (Position 8). Position 4 reflects the subject if the verb is imperfective, the object if the verb is perfective. It is mandatory even in the singular number. Position 5 is often derivational and triggers the Causative (Syntactical) Construction in originally transitive verbs. Position 6 is derivational; each suffix may be associated with a particularly aspect. Position 6 triggers the Causative Construction in specific cases. Position 7 is sometimes derivational, sometimes not, usually mandatory. Position 8 and 9, usually combine into one syllable. Position 10 usually indicates a subordinate clause or a matrix clause in a conditional statement. Position 11 indicates parallel clauses and may combine with Position 8/9 or Position 10. Position 12 is a mobile suffix used to disambiguate certain negative statements or strengthen an already negative statement.

Participle Structure

1. Root

2. Causative

3. Derivatives

4. Directionals

5. Aspect

6. Mode

7. Nominalizer

-ki: passive, instrumental

-kim: locative

-yam: active, ergative

8. Grammatical Number

9. Case

Positions 2, 3, and 4 are only present if necessary. Position 7 has three variants, active, passive, and locative. A participle lacks the Object and Subject Prefixes of a verb in a relative clause.