A Linguistics Workbook, 4th Edition

Name

Section

8.10 Major Moods 2: Copala Trique

Below are sentences illustrating the declarative, interrogative, and imperative moods

in Copala Trique, an Otomanguean language spoken in Mexico. Analyze the

sentences, and answer questions A-D.

Copala Trique has five phonemic tones, indicated by the numerals 1-5. Vowels

marked with 1 (e.g., a') are uttered with lowest pitch; those marked with 5 are

uttered with highest pitch. Sequences of numbers represent tone contours on

individual vowels. For example, a 13 sequence is a tone contour that rises in pitch.

The phonetic symbols used in this exercise are given in the chart in appendix 3.

The only symbol that does not appear in the chart is !. This symbol represents a

feature of articulation, the details of which are too complicated to discuss here (but

see Rensch 1978). Familiarity with the phonetic properties of these symbols is not

necessary for analyzing the sentences and answering the questions.

Copala Trique sentence English gloss

"The

"The

"The

"The

"The

"The

"Will

"Will

"The

man will build a house."

man will paint a house."

woman will paint a house."

woman will paint a table."

woman will make a table."

man will surely build a house."

the woman make a table?"

the man paint a table?"

woman will build a house,

won't she?"

"You all will build a house."

"Build a house (you all)!"

"Paint a table (you all)!"

"Who will paint a house?"

"Who will make a table?"

"What will the man make?"

"What will the woman paint?"

"The boy went to town."

"Did the boy go to town?"

"The man went to town."

"Did the man go to town?"

"Go to town!" (sg.)

"Weave!" (sg.)