Finiteness morphology
As in all other Northern Jê languages,[6] verbs in Pykobjê inflect for finiteness and thus have a basic opposition between a finite (or short) form and a nonfinite (or long) form. Finite forms are used in matrix non-past clauses only, whereas nonfinite forms are used in all types of subordinate clauses as well as in some matrix clauses (such as past, negated or quantified).[2]: 101 Nonfinite forms are most often formed via suffixation and/or prefix substitution. Some verbs (including all descriptives with the exception of cato ‘to leave, to arrive, to appear’, whose nonfinite form is cator) lack an overt finiteness distinction.
The following nonfinite suffixes have been attested: -r (the most common option, found in many transitive and intransitive verbs), -n (found in some transitive verbs), as well as -c, -m, and -x (found in a handful of intransitive verbs which take a nominative subject when finite).[6]: 543
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Nonfinite suffixes in Pykobjê
finite | nonfinite | gloss |
suffix -r |
mo | mor | to go slowly |
pẽh | -pẽhr | to extinguish |
coh | -’cohr | to eat (a part) |
cahu | cahur | to suck, to eat soft food |
-’coohquehj | -’coohcjir | to ask |
suffix -n |
pe | -’pen | to drink up |
pu | -pun | to untie |
cwy | -’cwyn | to dig |
-’coohpỳ | -’coohpỳn | to gnaw |
-’coh’tu | -’coh’tun | to spit |
suffix -c |
tyh | -’tyhc | to die |
ry | -ryc | to rain |
suffix -m |
tẽ | -’tẽm | to go (singular) |
ẽhjcõ | -’cõm | to drink |
xa | xãm | to stand (singular) |
suffix -x |
aacji | -ncjix | to enter (plural) |
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Prefix substitution or loss
In addition to the aforementioned processes, the finiteness inflection may involve prefix substitution or loss. For example, the valency-reducing prefixes are a(j)- (anticausative) and a(a)-, aw- (antipassive) in finite verb forms, but -pe(e)h-, -pẽh-[2]: 112 and -jỳ-,[2]: 111 /-jõh-,[2]: 144–5 respectively, in the nonfinite forms. In addition, some verbs which denote physiological activities or movement have a prefix (ehj- and aa-, respectively) in their finite forms but not in the nonfinite form. Some examples are given below.[3]
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Finiteness and prefix alternations in Pykobjê
finite | nonfinite | gloss |
anticausatives |
axpa | -pehxpar | to grieve |
axpoh | -pehxpoh | to fight |
amteh | -pẽhmtehr | to dream |
ampraa | -pẽhmpraa | to wake up |
ajquẽ | -peehquẽn | to dance |
ajcapu | -pehcapun | to split up in two |
ajri | -peehrin | to get torn |
antipassives |
aapi | -jỳyhpin | to fish |
aapi | -jỳyhpir | to blow (of wind) |
aapỳ | -jỳyhpỳ | to eat |
a’tip | -jỳ’tip | to come close |
awjacu | -jõhjacur | to smoke |
awjãarẽ | -jõhjãarẽn | to narrate |
awjahi | -jõhjahir | to hunt |
awcapeh | -jõhcapeh | to choose |
awpa | -jõhpar | to be able to hear |
awpỹ | -jõhpỹr | to be able to smell |
awryh | -jõhwryh | to travel far away, to be far away |
physiological verbs |
ẽhjcõ | -’cõm | to drink |
ẽhjtoh | -’tohr | to urinate |
ẽhjcwỳ | -’cwỳr | to defecate |
movement verbs |
aajit | jit | to hang (singular) |
aaxỳ | -xỳr | to enter (singular) |
aacji | -ncjix | to enter (plural) |
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