Spoken Yucatec Maya

Observe the following pairs from the Basic Sentences:
     
     (6) ko'ox uk'ul     "let's drink"
     (7) ko'ox uk'ik sa'     "let's drink atole"

     (11) yan u taal a papa waye'     "your father is to come here"
     (13) yan u taasik u primo waye'     "he is to bring his cousin here"

     (27) yan in bin     "I am to go"
     (28 ) yan in bisik le ba'ala'     "I am to take this thing"

Note that the paired forms in each set are different: only the verbs in (7), (13), and (28) have the suffix -ik. It is likewise only these sentences which contain an extra element, a noun or noun-phrase, which functions as an overtly
expressed direct object.  Now observe the following pairs from the Basic Sentences:

      (3) ts'o'ok a wajal     "have you woken up?"
      (5) ko'ox ajsik     "let's wake (him) up!"
      (22) hasta saamal k tóok     "we won't burn until tomorrow"
      (20) ts'o'ok a tóokik     "have you burned (it)?"

Note that only the verbs in numbers (5) and (20) have the suffix -ik, but that in neither of these sentences is there an overtly expressed object (in the form of a noun or noun phrase). Note, however, in the translations of numbers (5) and (20), that, when there is no overtly expressed noun object after a verb ending in -ik, there is an "understood" object, referred to in the translation as "him" or "it." In other words, a verb which contains the suffix -ik presupposes an object, whether or not the object is overtly expressed. A verb which presupposes an object (overtly expressed or not) we may call a transitive verb. Verbs which do not in this way, presuppose an object, we may call non-transitive verbs.

The verb pairs, transitive and non-transitive, related in meaning, as indicated in the examples above, are arranged below in three columns: those in Column 1 are non-transitive, those in Column 2 are transitive without an overtly expressed object, and those in Column 3 are transitive with an overtly expressed object.

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
táan in lúubul  "I'm falling"	táan in lúubsik  "I'm felling (it)"	táan in lubsik k'áax  "I'm felling jungle"
táan in wenel  "I'm sleeping"	táan in weensik  "I'm putting (him) to sleep"	táan in weensik Juan  "I'm putting Juan to sleep"
ko'ox ajal  "let's wake up!"	ko'ox ajsik  "let's wake (her) up"	ko'ox ajsik a kiik  "let's wake up you sister"
yan in bin  "I must go"	yan in bisik  "I must take (it)"	yan in bisik le ba'ala'  "I must take this thing"
yan u taal  "he must come"	yan u taasik  "he must bring (him)"	yan u taasik u primo  "he must bring his cousin"
ko'ox uk'ul  "let's drink"	ko'ox uk'ik  "let's drink (it)"	ko'ox uk'ik sa'  "let's drink atole"
táan k pak'al  "we're planting"	táan k pak'al  "we're planting (it)"	táan k pak'ik k kool  "we're planting our milpa"

Now note the following pairs of (Column 1) non-transitive and (Column 2) transitive verbs:

	Column 1	Column 2
(1)	lúubul ajal	lúubsik ajsik
(2)	wenel	weensik
(3)	bin taal	bisik taasik
(4)	uk'ul pak'al	uk'ik pak'ik
(5)	kool	kolik
(6)	tóok	tóokik

We see a variety of ways in which non-transitive verb bases may be related to transitive verb bases:

(1)  Vl	s
(2)  V...Vl	VV...s
(3)  C	(C)s
(4)  Vl	zero
(5)  CVVC	CVC
(6)  zero	zero

(1) Some non-transitive verb bases in -VI have related transitives in -s-.
(2) Some non-transitive verb bases in (CVC)VI have related transitives in CVVC plus s.
(3) Some non-transitive verb bases in CVC lose the final C before -s- in related transitives.
(4) Some non-transitive verb bases in -VI have related transitive verb bases with no modification or addition.
(5) Some non-transitive verb bases with the shape CVVC have related transitive verb bases with the shape CVC.
(6) Some non-transitive verb bases with the shape CVVC have related transitive verb bases with the same shape.

It is apparent that the ways in which non-transitive verb bases and transitive verb bases are related each to the other fall into many classes (six of which are noted here). The task of matching non-transitive verb bases with transitive verb bases related to them is one of learning them in pairs. You will be reminded of such pairs in the Drills of Lesson 4.

Observe the following expressions:

Column 1	Column 2	Column 3
1.  ko'ox uk'ul  "let's drink!"	ko'ox uk'ik  "let's drink (it)!"	ko'ox uk'ik sa'  "let's drink atole!"
2.  ko'ox ajal  "let's wake up!"	ko'ox ajsik  "let's wake (him) up!"	ko'ox ajsik Juan  "let's wake Juan up!"

Each expression is introduced by the form ko'ox. This form is equivalent to the English "let's go!" or in a simpler version, "Iet's...!" (perform the action indicated by the verb).

In the Basic Sentences of this lesson. we have heard the following items:

Column 1	Column 2
kin wenel  "I sleep"	táan in wenel "I'm sleeping"
	táan u wenel  "he's sleeping"
ku meyaj  "he works"	táan u meyaj  "he's working"
ku lúubsik  "he fells (it)"	táan u lúubsik  "he's felling (it)"
k pak'ik  "we plant (it)"	táan k pak'ik  "we're planting (it)"
kin lúubul  "I fall"	táan in lúubul  "I'm falling"
ku báaxal  "he plays"	táan u báaxal  "he's playing"
kin bin  "I go"	t in bin j xíimbal  "I'm going for a walk"

Observe that the Maya forms in both columns are identical except for the particle with which they begin: the forms in Column 1 begin with the non-completive aspect-particle k; the forms in Column 2, on the other hand, begin with the particle táan. Note the difference in meaning. The forms with the particle táan indicate a currently-progressing action. The forms with the particle k, in contrast, indicate a habitual or customary action, i.e., not one necessarily going on at the moment. We shall refer to the particle táan as the durative-progress aspect particle.

In 2.3.8. and 3.3.9. you learned how the negatives of certain non-completive verbs and that of all completive verbs are made. Now observe the following forms of the negative of these verbs in the durative-progressive aspect:

	Column 1	Column 2
(1)	"I'm clearing (it)"	"I'm not clearing (it)"
a.	táan u kolik	ma' táan u koliki'
b.	tun kolik	ma' tun koliki'
c.	tu kolik	ma' tu koliki'
(2)	"I'm falling"	"I'm not falling"
a.	táan in lúubul	ma' táan in lúubuli'
b.	tin lúubul	ma' tin lúubuli'
(3)	"we're felling jungle"	"we're not felling jungle"
	táan k lúubsik k'áax	ma' táan k lúubsik k'aaxi'

Note that, as with the negative of the completive aspect, the negative of the durative-progressive aspect (in Column 2) ends in -i'. Note also that if the last word is tri-syllabic, and has a neutral accent on the vowel of the next-to-the-last syllable, that vowel may, optionally, be dropped.

You have seen the following pairs of forms in the Basic Sentences:

Column 1	Column 2
ka lúubul  "you fall"	ma' tech a lúubul  "you don't fall"
kin wenel  "I sleep"	ma' tech in wenel  "I don't sleep"
kin weensik  "I put (him) to sleep"	ma' tech in weensik  "I don't put (him) to sleep"
ku meyaj  "he works"	ma' tech u meyaj  "he doesn't work"
ku taasik  "he brings (him)"	ma' tech u taasik  "he doesn't bring (him)"
ku pak'al  "he plants"	ma' tech u pak'al  "he doesn't plant"
ku pak'ik  "he plants (it)"	ma' tech u pak'ik  "he doesn't plant (it)"

If you compare Column 2 with Column 1, it is clear that the non-completive particle k is replaced by the emphatic-negative combination ma' tech. The negative of the non-completive differs, therefore, in this respect, both from that of the completive (3.3.9) and from that of the durative-progressive (4.3.3).

In addition to the feature discussed in 1.3.11., above, the negative of the non-completive differs from those of the durative-progressive and the completive in other respects as well. Observe the following pairs of forms taken from the Basic Sentences:

Column 1	Column 2
Completive
tu yu'ubaj  "he heard (it)"	ma' tu yu'ubaji'  "he didn't hear (it)"
Durative-Progressive
táan a lúubul  "you're falling"	ma' táan a lúubuli'  "you're not falling"
Non-Completive
kin lúubul  "I fall"	ma' tech in lúubul  "I don't fall"

If we compare the forms in Column 2 with those in Column 1, we see that the negative of the completive employs the combination ma'-...-i', the negative of the durative-progressive employs onIy ma', for certain special verbs (3.3.10), both ma'-...-i' (4.3.3) for all others, and the negative of the non-completive customarily employs ma' tech without a terminal -i'. It should be noted, however, that forms which obligatorily (completive) or optionally (durative-progressive) employ this terminal -i', as well as the non-completive (4.3.4), may be not merely negative, but also locative. In this latter case, the negative of all these forms would also be locative, and necessarily likewise, be accompanied by a locative -i'.

In the Basic Sentences of this and earlier lessons. you have heard the following:

Column 1	Column 2
ka wajal  "you wake up"	ts'o'ok a wajal  "you have woken up"
ku bin  "he goes"	ts'o'ok u bin  "he has gone"
ku pak'ik  "he plants (it)"	ts'o'ok u pak'ik  "he has planted (it)"
ka tóokik  "you burn (it)"	ts'o'ok a tóokik  "you've burned (it)"

If you compare the forms in Column 1 with the corresponding forms in Column 2, you will observe that they are identical, except for the initial particles: k in Column 1, and ts'o'ok in Column 2. You may recall that ts'o'ok means "finish." Its meaning as an independent form (ts'o'okij) is, roughly, "it is finished." Such expressions as these may generally be rendered by "have .... -ed" in English, i.e., by the English present-perfect expressions. We will say that these verb expressions in Maya are instances of the terminative aspect.

In the Basic Sentences of this and previous lessons, we have heard the following forms:

	Column 1	Column 2
1.	ku taal  "he comes"	yan u taal  "he is to come"
2.	ku taasik  "he brings him"	yan u taasik  "he has to bring him"
3.	kin bin  "I go"	yan in bin  "I've got to go"
4.	k tóok  "we burn"	yaan k tóok  "we have to burn"

If we compare the forms in Column 1, with the corresponding forms in Column 2, we observe that they are identical, except for the initial particles: k in Column 1 and yaan in Column 2. Note the translations of the forms in Column 2. The idea repeatedly expressed is that of obligation or compulsion with respect to the activity indicated by the verb form which follows. We will say that expressions of this type are in the compulsive aspect.

Observe the following forms:

(1) a) táan in kolik      b) tin kolik	"I'm clearing it"
(2) a) táan a kolik      b) tan kolik      c) ta kolik	"you're clearing it"
(3) a) táan u kolik      b) tun kolik      c) tu kolik	he's clearing it"
(4)     táan k kolik	we're clearing it"

Note that the durative-progressive aspect particle táan may be contracted, optionally, when it co-occurs with the personal pronouns in, a (w), or u (y). The shorter forms may (1) absorb the pronouns, may (2) forward-shifted in the high tone to the vowel of the pronoun, or may (3) lose the high tone, and, may even (4) lose the -n:

     táan (+) in / tin / tin
     táan (+) a / ta(n) / ta(n)
     táan (+) u / tu(n) / tu(n)

Note that táan + k is not contracted.

Observe the following series of forms:

(1) a) ts'o'ok in kolik      b) ts'in kolik	"I've cleared (it)"
(2) a) ts'o'ok a kolik      b) ts'a kolik	"you've cleared (it)"
(3) a) ts'o'ok u kolik      b) ts'u kolik	"he has cleared (it)"
(4)     ts'o'ok k kolik	"we've cleared (it)"

Note that the terminative-aspect particIe ts'o'ok may optionally be contracted with the following pronouns in, a, u. These contractions may appear as follows:

ts'in
ts'a
ts'u

Note that the high tone of the particle may be forward-shifted to the vowel of the pronoun.