Postby Massimiliano B » 2018-11-23, 23:07
Ditidaht
ʔukʷaqɫ = to be called
ʔukʷaqɫak John? = (literally: Are you called John?) Is John your name?
ʔukʷaqɫis John = (literally: I am called John) John is my name.
The letter -i- is inserted between the stem and the first personal ending of the declarative mood -s.
The interrogative mood endings for open questions are: -qiks = I, -qik = you, -qii = he/she/it, -qikid = we. When preceded by a consonant that is in the same syllable, the -q- is lost. These endings are used with inherently interrogative words such as "who, what, where...?".
ʔač- means 'who'. Together with kʷaqɫ (which means 'call' or 'name') it forms the root
ačkʷaqɫ
which can be used to ask someone's name, by adding the interrogative mood endings for open questions are: -qiks = I, -qik = you, -qii = he/she/it, -qikid = we.
ačkʷaqɫik = (literally: Who are you called?) What's your name?
ʔukʷaqɫis John = (literally: I am called John) John is my name.
The use of a suffix is obligatory when the information is not new. Otherwise, a root is used. But, since a suffix can't stand alone, it is added to the root ʔu-, which, per se, has no meaning.
This is a very important point. I think this rule applies to any language with lexical suffixes, which can be found throughout the Salishan, Wakashan, and Chimakuan linguistic groups.
The root ʔu-, the suffix -x̌ = being, and the suffix -aʔƛ = now, new (this is an important concept in many languages spoken in British Columbia) form the word ʔux̌ʷaʔƛ, which means "to be now", used as a way of greeting a person:
ʔux̌ʷaʔƛak = Is it you now?
ʔux̌ʷaʔƛs = It is me now.