jeff_l
(Jeff_L)
#1
15.2 Reciprocal 709
(889) 1-wast edi-nnet
3MaSgS-hit.PerfP dog-3SgPoss
'Hex hit hisx (own) dog.'
or: 'Hex hit hisy/her (=someone else's) dog.'
15.2 Reciprocal
The standard expression of subject-object reciprocality is through the
Reciprocal derivative of verbs, with the highly productive prefix -nvm- or -n-.
An example is snn-armasm-aen 'they-Ma stuck to each other'. In such cases,
there is at least some referential criss-crossing between subjects and objects,
and the subject of the reciprocal derivative is normally plural. See §8.4 for the
forms and further examples.
The reciprocal is occasionally extended to syntactic contexts not involving
subject-object coindexation. An example is (890).
(890) a. aen-raeymas-n
Recip-sit.PerfP-3MaPl
'They-Ma sat together.'
b. t-an-eexdam-asn
LoImpf-Recip-work.LoImpfP-3MaPl
'They-Ma work together.'
However, other constructions are more usual. To indicate cooperative
activity ('together'), one can use the verb -uhvr- 'do in common' plus a verbal
noun (891).
(891) ohaer-aen a-s-ikal
do.in.common.PerfP-3MaPlS Sg-Caus-travel.VblN
'They-Ma traveled together.'
A very common construction for reciprocals expressing other than subject-
object coindexation involves a distributive subject ('each X') and the
possessed form of ά-m-idi 'friend' in the relevant non-subject position. In
context, the second referent can be translated 'the other' (892.a). The verb
underlying Agentive ά-m-idi is 'accompany' (PerfP -aeddew-, Imprt Idaw),
and the verb itself can be used in constructions translatable with 'together'
(892.b).
