Pabappa verbs

Pabappa verb conjugation is much like a simplified version of that of Poswa. Only tense is marked on the verb, and there are only 3 tenses, since aspect is not marked either. There are still separate conjugation classes, but these differ only in which consonant the ending begins with, not in any vowels.

Conjugation tables

The basic Pabappa suffixes are -pi, -pa, and -pu for the past, present, and imperative respectively. They appear to be related to Poswa's monosyllabic intransitive suffixes (-bel, -ba, -bob), perhaps through analogy with the respective subjunctive forms, but are in fact heavily analogized descendants of the disyllabic transitive suffixes. Early on, the "extra" vowel remained, but a later sound change pushed the last vowel of the stem into the suffix. Later, these were analogized in such a way that it appeared the initial vowel had never existed.

Vowel stems

All verbs whose stems end in a vowel take endings beginning with -b. Below is the verb pepu "to bend, fold":

pepu	Past	Present	Imperative
(Indicative)	pepubi	pepuba	pepubu
(Subjunctive)	pepubep	pepubap	pepubop

Since Pabappa verbs are not marked either for person or for transitivity, pronouns must be present for context. However, when two pronouns come together in a word, they can be elided into a single word stressed on the initial syllable. Thus for example:

Pom pubulap pepubi.

I folded the shorts.

Pomap pepubi pasuappububom.

I bent you over my knee.

Note that the subjunctive forms are the same as those of the 3rd person Poswa intransitive subjunctives, but that, as above, they are in fact derived from the transitives.