by Vunshik Zan
posted 6 Jan 2003
revised 21 Feb 2003
Locative constructions
While there are other prepositions than 'in' that may be used in English for locative constructions; in Hoyloy the morpheme of [dti\-] hereby named as parapreposition is the only one of its kind* for all locative constructions. Comparable examples in both languages are given side by side as follows.
1. [dti_\tzya=] '(in) here'; 2. [dti_\hya=] '(in)there'; 3.[dti_\LA] 'in LA';
4. [dti_\tzya~"tsyu=bpi(ENg)+] 'at righthand side'; 5. [dti_\tau-(_)tzi(E)Ng+]
'in front'; 6. [dti_\qa_tzyaQ"au-]/[..ka-tsNg-au-] 'behind you'; 7. [dti_\au_bin-]
'in the rear'; 8. [dti_\dtoQ"a=dti(E)Ng"] 'on the desk/table'; 9. [dti_\dtoQ"a=ka=]
'under the desk/table'; 10. [dti_\li=(+)e-(_)/bpi~=(-)|a=(')] 'beside you'.
*Other prepositions such as [hyOng\'] 'toward', [dtwi\'] 'toward/from' and [wi\'] 'from' are for
directional constructions.
How do you put 'Kent is'nt in' into Hoyloy?
To say 'Kent lives in Brooklyn' in Hoyloy, it is sentence 11. But putting 'Kent is not in' into Hoyloy, it is sentence 12.
11. [Kent dtwa"/dti_\Brooklyn]; 12. [Kent bo_dti-|de'(-)].Why the difference?
That the preposition 'in' used in the above sentence stands for a prepositional phrase similar to 'in one's place' functioning as an adverb is plain to any English speakers. The same meaning applies to the Hoyloy word [dti-|de'], which, however, must be represented by a locative construction rather than just the quasi-word [dti\-], which functions as a preposition per se. Furthermore, this preposition has some quality of an interminative verb like that of [hO.-] 'to let' . This quality, in this case, renders this preposition into representing the meaning 'residing at'. On the other hand, the suffix -[de'] represents a generalized conception of some location which occupies some space. To perceive something occupying some space in effect means to perceive something in existence. In spite of the difference in morphological structure, this construction of [dti-|de'] in rolling-off format is similar to the Englsih 'in' as an adverb in taking up the ending position in a sentence. We can thus paraphrase the word [dit-|de'] in Englsih as 'in/at one's place'.
But our use of the suffix -[de'] has not so far been fully exploited yet. When suffixed to a postural verb, it turns the meaning of the verb into a continuous state by providing the necessary space for the verb to stay. We'll have some examples for illustration in the next section.
Suffix -[de'] for postural aspect
Two types of usage with the suffix -[de'] for postural aspect are to be illustrated separately in the following examples.
A. Imperative sentences with rolling-off format:
13. [kya-|de']* 'be and keep standing'; 14. [ku+|de'] 'be and keep squatting'; 15. [tze-|de'] 'be and keep sitting down'.*The enclitic tone in a rolling-off format is typically transcribed with the symbol of 'grave' pattern, but it may assume different weak tones depending on co-articulation as well as the accent a speaker uses.
B. Used for forming a modifier
16. [tze_de=\qOng"] 'be seated to talk';
17. [tzy,(w)ai= qaNg-laNg+ kya_de=\tzyaQ_bpNg-] 'these workers are
eating (their) meals in standing position';
18. [hit=e-(_)/gin=(+)na" ku-(_)de=\kwa~"/qau=(+)hya-] 'that child is watching
ants in crouching position'.
The marker of progressive aspect
It is obvious to see in all the examples of previous section that the construction of a postural verb with the suffix -[de'] implies some action in progress. By replacing any postural verb with the preposition [dti\-] in the last three sentences, the form emerges with the function of marking the pregressive aspect of the ensuing verb. In what follows, this progressive aspect marker is illustrated by sentences 19 through 22 while other progressive constructions are examplified by sentences 23 through 26.
19. [gwa" tzit=ma' dti_de=\kwa~"/dten_si-] 'I am now watching TV';
20. [Joe Rip=(+/-)|lai' e-(_)\si-(_)tzun- Cindy dti_de=\tsyu~"qwa=] 'when Joe came in,
Cindy was singing';
21. [tzit=e-(_)/tza-bo=(+)laNg+ na=(+)\dti_de=\qONg=(+)we- na=(+)\dti_de=\tsit=
baK_sai"] 'this woman is speaking while wiping (her) tears';
cf. [tzit=e-(_)/tza_bo=(+)laNg+ na=(+)qONg=(+)we- na=(+)\tsit=baK_sai"];
(an optional simplification for sentence 21.)
22. [tzya= u_/tzit_e-(_)/gin=(+)na" dti_de=\kau'] 'here is a kid who is crying';
23. [i- it=dtit_\de=\kau'] 'he/she keeps crying';
24. [i- dti_de=\kau"/dti_de=\b(/w)eQ"ai"/ma-ma=]
'he/she is crying for wanting (his/her) mom';
25. [qa_\i-/qONg=(+)/in-/ma-ma= dti,p=b(/w)eQ"\dtNg"|lai'a']
'tell him/her his/her mom is going to be back (soon)';
26. [i- e_/it=dtit_\kau"/qa=\in-/ma-ma= dtNg"|lai']
'he/she will keep on crying till his/her mon comes back';
Take note that: first, the particle [de\'] in sentence 23 is the contracted form of [dti-|de'] used as
progressive aspect marker; second, while the adverb [it=dtit\=(+/-)] (lit. one and straight) suggests
progressive aspect of the verb [kau'] (to cry) in sentence 26, it is used in sentence 23 to
indicates the continuous state of the progressing act of crying; and third, the form of the
temporal adverb [dti,p=b(/w)eQ\-] for 'going to', as used in sentence 25., is derived through
contraction of the form [dti_de=\b(/w)eQ'] for 'wanting' as used in sentence 24.
From [dti-|de'] for 'in/at one's place' to the progressive aspect marker
The progressive aspect marker as a quasi-word is derived from the word [dti-|de'] for 'in/at one's place' as described earlier. That is to say, this word, a lexicalized co-building of the two grammatical morphemes [dti\-] and -[de'], becomes grammaticalized for the function to meet with the syntactical requirement for progressive construction. Because it has to be connected with an ensuing verb to form a progressive construction, the tonal feature of rolling-off format adopted for this quasi-word in citation form gets lost and both member morphemes are constantly in linking status.
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