Paiwan Language - Affixes

Affixes

The Paiwan affixes below are from the Kulalao dialect unless stated otherwise, and are sourced from Ferrell (1982:15–27).

Prefixes

• ka-: used as an inchoative marker with some stems; past marker
• ka- -an: principal, main
• kaɬa- -an: time/place characterized by something
• ma-ka-: go past, via; having finished
• pa-ka-: go/cause to go by way of (something/place)
• ka-si-: come from
• ken(e)-: eat, drink, consume
• ki-: get, obtain
• ku-: my; I (as agent of non-agent focus verb)
• ɬa-: belonging to a given category
• ɬe-: to go in the direction of
• ɬia-: (have) come to be in/at
• li-: have quality of
• ma-: be affected by, be in condition of (involuntary)
• mare-: having reciprocal relationship
• mare-ka-: in some general category
• maɬe-: number of persons
• me-: agent marker usually involving change of status (used with certain verbs)
• mere-: be gigantic, super-
• mi-: agent marker that is usually intransitive (used with certain verbs)
• mi- -an: pretend, claim
• mu-: agent marker (certain verbs)
• ka-na- -anga: every
• pa-: to cause to be/occur
• pe-: emerge, come into view
• pi-: put in/on; do something to
• pu-: have or produce; acquire
• pu- -an: place where something is put or kept
• ma-pu-: do nothing except ...
• ra-: having to do with
• r-m-a-: do at/during
• r-m-a- -an: do at/in
• sa-: wish to; go to, in direction of; have odor, quality, flavor of
• pa-sa-: transfer something to; nearly, be on point of doing
• ki-sa-: use, utilize, employ
• na-sa-: perhaps, most likely is
• san(e)-: construct, work on/in
• ki-sane(e)-: become/act as; one who acts as
• ru-: do frequently/habitually; have many of
• se-: people of (village/nation); have quality of; occur suddenly/unexpectedly/unintentionally
• s-ar-e-: be in state/condition of (involuntary)
• si-: be instrument/cause/beneficiary of; instrument focus marker; belonging to certain time in past
• ma-si-: carry, transport
• su-: your; you (agent of non-agent focus verb); leave, remove, desist from
• ki-su-: remove or have removed from oneself
• ta-: past marker
• tu-: similar to, like
• ma-ru-: be dissimilar but of same size
• tja-: our, we (inclusive); more, to a greater extent, further
• ki-tja-: take along for use
• tjaɬa- -an: most, -est
• tjara-: be definitely
• tjaɬu-: reach/extend as far as
• tjari-: furthest, utmost
• tja-u-: to have just done
• tje-: choose to do at/from
• ka-tje- -an: containing
• tji-: used mainly in plant/animal species names (non-Kulalao frozen affix)
• tji-a-: be/remain at
• tju-: do/use separately; be/do at certain place
• m-uri-: search for

Infixes

• -aɬ-, -al-, -ar-: having sound or quality of; involving use of; non-Kulalao
• -ar-: do indiscriminately, on all sides; non-Kulalao
• -m-: agent or actor; -n- following /p/, /b/, /v/, /m/; m- before vowel-initial words
• -in-: perfective marker, action already begun or accomplished, object or product of past action; in- before vowel-initial words

Suffixes

• -an: specific location in time/space; specific one/type; referent focus
• -en: object/goal of action; object focus
• -aw, -ay: projected or intended action, referent focus
• -u: agent focus (most subordinate clauses); most peremptory imperative
• -i: object focus (most subordinate clauses); polite imperative
• -ɬ: things in sequence; groupings; durations of time

The following affixes are from the Tjuabar dialect of Paiwan, spoken in the northwest areas of Paiwan-occupied territory (Comparative Austronesian Dictionary 1995).

Nouns

• -aḷ-, -aly- 'tiny things'
• -in- 'things made from plant roots'
• -an 'place' (always used with another affix)
• mar(ə)- 'a pair of' (used for humans only'
• pu- 'rich'
• ḳay- 'vegetation'
• sə- 'inhabitants'
• cua- 'name of a tribe'

Verbs

• -aŋa 'already done'
• ka- 'to complete'
• kə- 'to do something oneself'
• ki- 'to do something to oneself'
• kisu- 'to get rid of'
• kicu- 'to do something separately'
• maCa- 'to do something reciprocally' (where C indicates the initial consonant of the stem)
• mə- 'to experience, to be something'
• pa- 'to cause someone to do something'
• pu- 'to produce, to get something'
• sa- 'to be willing to do something'
• calyu- 'to arrive at'

Adjectives

• ma- 'being'
• na- 'with the quality of'
• səcalyi- 'very'
• ca- 'more than'