5 Lessons in Tzutujil: Easy
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Tzutujil is a Mayan language hailing from the region of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala.
You will need a pen and paper with which to make notes.
These lessons are derived from: Dayley, Jon P., Tzutujil Grammar (Berkeley: University of California Press 1985)
Lesson 1: An Intransitive Sentence
Xinwari. = I slept.
This beautiful boi is built from four components:
1. x- = the Completive Prefix.
2. in- = the B1 Prefix.
3. war = a Verb which means sleep.
4. -i = the Phrase-Final Suffix.
What is a B1 Prefix?
Tzutujil Verbs take two sets of Person Prefixes, these being Ergative (Set A) and Absolutive (Set B).
The Absolutive Case refers either to the Subject of an Intransitive Verb, or the Patient of a Transitive Verb.
(Prefixes in the Singular are called B1, B2 & B3, whilst their Plural Counterparts are B1p, B2p & B3p. This convention is taken directly from Dayley’s grammar.)
Translate these sentences using the chart above:
You slept. = He/she slept. =
We slept. = All of you slept. =
They slept. =
Lesson 2: A Transitive Sentence
Xinkeech’ey. = They hit me.
This fine fellow is built from four components:
1. x- = the Completive Prefix.
2. in- = the B1 Prefix.
3. kee- = the A3p Prefix.
4. ch’ey = a Verb which means hit.
The Ergative Set A Prefix indicates the Agent of a Transitive Sentence. These always occur AFTER the Set B Prefixes.
The upper forms occur before a Consonant, and the lower forms before a vowel.
For this exercise, please use the Pre-Consonantal Forms:
All of you hit me. =
She/he hit me. =
You hit me. =
Lesson 3: The Simple Passive Voice
Xchejy wmaal. = She was hit by me.
xchejy is built from three components:
1. x- = the Completive Prefix.
2. chey = a Verb which means hit.
3. -j- = the Simple Passive Infix.
For verbs which end in /j/, the Simple Passive Infix is -7-, whilst before a /7/ it becomes a Vowel.
Referring back to the Set B Prefixes, translate these sentences:
Xixchejy wmaal. = Xatchejy wmaal. =
Xeechejy wmaal. =
Lessons 4 & 5: Absolute Anti-Passive Voice
Firstly, we will consider an Indicative Sentence:
Nuuchapi. = She/he grabs it. / She/he scolds him/her.
This galumphing galoot is built from four components:
1. n- = the Incompletive Prefix.
2. uu- = the A3 Prefix.
3. chap = a Verb which means grab/scold.
4. -i = the Phrase-Final Suffix.
Using the Set A Prefixes, translate these sentences:
I grab it. = Nchaapi. * You grab it. =
We grab it. = All of you grab it. =
They grab it. =
*The Set A Prefixes have a number of quirks. See the Answer section for details.
Now, what happens if we turn it into an Anti-Passive Sentence:
Jaa7 nchapooni. = She/he grabs/scolds.
nchapooni is built from four components:
1. n- = the Incompletive Prefix.
2. chap = a Verb which means grab or scold.
3. -oon = the Absolutive Anti-Passive Suffix.
4. -i = the Phrase-Final Suffix.
Now, using the Set B Prefixes, translate the following sentences:
I scold. = You scold. =
We scold. = All of you scold. =
They scold. =
Answer Key
Lesson 1:
I slept. = Xinwari. You slept. = Xatwari.
He/she slept. = Xwari. We slept. = Xoqwari.
All of you slept. = Xixwari. They slept. = Xeewari.
Lesson 2:
All of you hit me. = Xineech’ey.
She/he hit me. = Xinruuch’ey.
You hit me. = Xinaach’ey.
Lesson 3:
Xixchejy wmaal . = All of you were hit by me.
Xatchejy wmaal. = You were hit by me.
Xeechejy wmaal. = They were hit by me.
Lesson 4a:
I grab it. = Nchaapi.*
You grab it. = Naachapi.
We grab it. = Nqaachapi.
All of you grab it. = Neechapi.
They grab it. = Nkeechapi.
*The A1 Prefix nuu- has these two quirks:
1. After the B1 Prefix -, it becomes in- (or inw-).
2. After the Incompletive Prefix n-, the new A1 Prefix in- is omitted.
To make things more confusing, the B1 Prefix in- DOES appear after the Incompletive in-, as seen below.
Lesson 4b:
I scold. = Ninchapooni.
You scold. = Natchapooni.
We scold. = Noqchapooni.
All of you scold. = Nixchapooni.
They scold. = Neechaponi.
Total Marks: 24
This is the debut newsletter of this Substack. I hope that it was not unfairly difficult, nor that it was too difficult - only that it was very difficult.