Direct speech 387
The two syntactic strategies for marking quoted speech are the same as
those used for indirect speech. The most common is through use the possessed
form of oca' ‘word/speech’ or the abbreviated form ca', as in (211) and (212).
(211) “La', pas mate mon ba’eng e-obbar, Cong?” koca'-eng Empu Kelleng.
oh then die if you OV-burn kid say-DEF Empu Kelleng
‘“Oh, won’t you die if you are burned, Son?” said Empu Kelleng.’
(212) “Apa se e-dhante'? Korang apa, engko'?” ca'-eng Puspo Negoro, ya.
what REL OV-wait lack what I say-DEF Puspo Negoro yes
‘“What is she waiting for? What do I lack?” wondered Puspo Negoro.’
As is true in (211) and (212), with direct speech the nominal form typically
follows the quoted speech.
The other syntactic means for marking direct speech is through use of a
verb of communication, as in (213-215), just as with indirect speech.
(213) Aba'eng ng-oca', “Iya, ayu' so engko' e-bagi-ya samper reya, tape
she AV-say yes HORT by me OV-give-IRR cloth this but
aba'eng kodu a-lako neng kanna’ pettong are.
you must AV-work at here seven day
‘She said, “Well, I am going to return the cloth, but you have to work
here for seven days.”’
(214) Bit-abit pas ng-adhep dha' rato Majapahit Joko Tole jareya, rato
RED-long.time then AV-face to king Majapahit Joko Tole this king
a-tanya, “Ba'eng dhari dhimma,kana' lake'?”
AV-ask you from where, boy
‘After a long time, Joko Tole met the king of Majapahit and the king
asked, “Where are you from, boy?”’
(215) Mekker Bang Pote, “Adhu engko' dhaggi' e-pokol-a bi' tang ebu'.”
AV.think Garlic oh I next OV-beat-IRR by my mother
‘Garlic thought, “Oh, I am going to get beaten by my mother.”’
The sentences in (213-215) illustrate the predominant pattern that the matrix
clause that contains the verb of communication precedes the quoted material.
The verbs in (213-215) are all in the actor voice, ngoca' ‘say’, atanya ‘ask’, and
mekker ‘think’, but object voice forms are acceptable as well. In (216) esenta'
‘be yelled’ is used and in (217) etanya'agi ‘be asked’.