-akento
Ye'kwana edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From -a (recent/distant past imperfective suffix) + -kene (distant past imperfective suffix) + -to (plural verb suffix) or -akene (distant past imperfective singular suffix) + -to (plural verb suffix). The reduction of the ne syllable is synchronically irregular and suggests this suffix is analyzed as a single unit by current speakers.
Pronunciation edit
Suffix edit
-akento
- Forms the plural of the distant past imperfective tense when the arguments of the verb include a mix of one third-person argument and one first- or second-person argument.
Usage notes edit
This suffix can cause syllable reduction. The suffix takes the form -kakento when the preceding syllable is reducible and has an onset of k, -yakento when the preceding syllable ends in i, and -akento in other contexts.
References edit
- Cáceres, Natalia (2011) Grammaire Fonctionnelle-Typologique du Ye’kwana[1], Lyon, pages 213–222