Alternations of Yaqui
| Alternation name | Coded? | Description | Examples | Verbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C
|
y | The verb employs the -ria suffix for introducing a new participant (recipient or benefactive). | 49 | |
|
C
|
y | The verb changes from a transitive form into an intransitive by using a different ending, i.e. -(t)a for transitives and -(t)e for intransitives. The subject of the intransitive form might be the object of the transitive version. There is no causation involved. | 9 | |
|
C
|
y | The verb takes a prefix ji'i- (which is related to the word jita 'something'). By using it, the verb becomes intransitive. | 3 | |
|
C
|
y | This alternation allows the verb to take an object or locative argument within the verb i.e. nominal incorporation. The noun incorporated into the verb lacks any case markers. | 11 | |
|
C
|
y | The verb is marked with the -tu suffix, which is the inchoative marker. | 43 | |
|
U
|
n | For many verbs it is necessary to include a noun object with the verb, even if the object of the verb is unspecified. The object could be jita 'something' for things or yee 'people' for humans. The sense of the verb is less specific. It is marked as uncoded due to the fact that the object is not expressed within the verb (cf. Intransitivizer incorporation: ji'i). | 33 | |
|
U
|
n | The object argument is marked with the locative suffix: -po or -t. Most of the verbs with this alternation have the analogous construction using the accusative suffix: -ta. | 9 | |
|
C
|
y | The verb employs the -tua suffix, which introduces a new participant (causer) to the event. It is an alternation that occurs regularly with any verb. | 74 | |
|
U
|
n | One of the participants is marked with the directional suffix -u and the accusative suffix -ta, resulting in the directional benefactive (i.e. oblique) marker -tau. | 8 | |
|
C
|
y | The event is presented as a state or result. Consequently, the verbs using this alternation are intransitive. | 40 | |
|
C
|
y | The verb is marked with the suffix -wa and the patient participant is expressed as the subject of the event. | 53 | |
|
C
|
y | In this alternation, the causal alternant is formed by replacing the final -te by -ta. There are cases in which the alternation causes a change in the verbal form, those are the cases of verbs ending on -ke: e.g. waake 'to be dry' > waacha 'to dry something'; yejte 'to sit (down)' > yecha 'to seat'. | 5 | |
|
C
|
y | In this alternation, the applicative alternant is formed by replacing the final -te by -ta. There is no causation involved. | 4 |