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You weren't abandoned by the dog. | You weren't abandoned by the dog. | ||
==Responses to Polar Questions== | |||
To answer a polar question in the negative, the particle /nâ̰/ is used e.g. | |||
A) /kʰwèi̤ dú=káiʔk gáʔɾ/ | |||
2PS.ACC=POLQ=bite dog | |||
Did the dog bite the lizard? | |||
B) /nâ̰/ | |||
no | |||
No | |||
Answering a polar question in the affirmative is more complicated. There is no single word corresponding to English "yes". The answer depends on why the speaker believes the answer to be true. | |||
If the speaker has seen or participated in the action, then they simply repeat whatever came after /du/ in the question e.g. | |||
A) /kʰwèi̤ dú=káiʔk gáʔɾ/ | |||
2PS.ACC=POLQ=bite dog | |||
Did the dog bite the lizard? | |||
B) /káiʔk/ | |||
bite | |||
Yes (I saw it) | |||
But in other cases, there are special particles (related to the evidential/mood clitics). If the speaker believes the answer to be yes because someone told them so, then the particle /hḭ̂/ is used e.g. | |||
A) /kʰwèi̤ dú=káiʔk gáʔɾ/ | |||
2PS.ACC=POLQ=bite dog | |||
Did the dog bite the lizard? | |||
B) /hḭ̂/ | |||
REP | |||
Yes / I've heard so. | |||
If the speaker believes the answer to be yes because there is direct physical evidence, they use the particle /gè̤/ e.g. | |||
A) /kʰwèi̤ dú=káiʔk gáʔɾ/ | |||
2PS.ACC=POLQ=bite dog | |||
Did the dog bite the lizard? | |||
B) /gè̤/ | |||
INFR | |||
Yes / It looks like it (maybe there is a bite mark on the lizard) | |||
If the speaker believes the answer to be yes because of their experience with similar situations, or because it is general knowledge, they use the particle /hlḛ̂/ e.g. | |||
A) /kʰwèi̤ dú=káiʔk gáʔɾ/ | |||
2PS.ACC=POLQ=bite dog | |||
Did the dog bite the lizard? | |||
B) /hlḛ̂/ | |||
ASS | |||
Yes / I believe so (maybe because the dog regularly bites the lizard) | |||
If the question entails an assumption that the speaker wishes to deny the truth of, then a special particle /plàṳ/ is used e.g. | |||
A) /jó=mjà̤ jô̰ báˈsjàʔp dú=hóuʔt/ | |||
2PS.GEN=wife 2PS.ERG beat.INF POLQ=stop | |||
Have you stopped beating your wife? | |||
B) /plàṳ/ | |||
CHALLENGE.PRESUPPOSITION | |||
I wasn't beating my wife. | |||
If the speaker doesn't know the answer to a question, they can answer with the particle /dṵ̂/ e.g. | |||
A) /kʰwèi̤ dú=káiʔk gáʔɾ/ | |||
2PS.ACC=POLQ=bite dog | |||
Did the dog bite the lizard? | |||
B) /dṵ̂/ | |||
POLQ | |||
I don't know either. | |||
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