a tzotil grammar

8/13/2019 ''a Tzotil Grammar''

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Sk'op Sotz'leb:

The Tzotzil of Zinacantn

A Tzotzil Grammar

John HavilandStuart Robinson

Esteban Gutierrez

Francisco Jos (PDF version)


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TABLE OF COTETS

Introduction

Chapter 1: Notes on Phonology

Sounds and Pronunciation

Roots Forms

Stress and Intonation

Eam!les "or Pronunciation

Chapter 2: Basic Sentences

Eistence

S!eci"ic #ime or Place

#em!oral Particles$ to %xa % `ox

Chapter 3: Location

De"inite &rticles% 'ocation

'ocative Sentences

Em!hasis% Frontin% and De"initeness

uestions o" 'ocation

*ther Interroative +ords

Chapter 4: The Structure of Nouns Part 1

,ouns and Possession

Possessive Pre"ies
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Frontin ,ouns

&entive ,ouns -ith the Pre"ij-

*ther Possessive .om!ounds

Inalienable Possession

Chapter !: Stati"e Sentences

Stative Sentences

'ocative and Eistential Sentences /sed as Stative Sentences

Interroative and ,eatives Forms o" Stative Sentences

Stative Sentences -ith Sub0ects in the First and Second !erson

Chapter #: Intransiti"e $er%s

Intransitive 1erbs% Part 2

Stative Forms o" Intransitive 1erbs

*ther Forms o" Intransitive 1erbs

#he Per"ective (Preterite) Form

Revie- o" Intransitive 1erb Forms

Forms Derived "rom Intransitive 1erbs

.om!le Sentences -ith Intransitive 1erbs

Intransitive Sentences -ith Instrument or &ent

Chapter &: The Structure of Nouns Part 2

*ther E!ressions -ith Possessive Pre"ies

+ord *rder in Possessive Sentences

*ther /ses o" -u`un-il

*ther Possessed ,ouns

,umeral E!ressions

#he Structure o" ,ouns and &d0ectives

,oun .lasses

Chapter ': Transiti"e $er%s

#ransitivit3
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Im!eratives -ith #ransitive 1erbs

#ransitive 1erbs -ith &uiliaries

Direct *b0ects o" #ransitive 1erbs

#he uasi4Sub0unctive /se o" #ransitive 1erbs

#ense and &s!ect -ith #ransitive 1erbs

#ransitive 1erb Stems

+ord *rder5 ,eative and Interroative Forms

6Ditransitive6 .onstructions

Passive% 6&nti4Passive%6 7iddle41oice% and Pseudo4Passive

#he 6Favorite6 #zotzil .onstruction

Pseudo41erbs

Chapter (: Co)ple* +or)s

#he Plural

Pluralization o" ,ouns

Re"leive and Reci!rocal 1erbs

Im!erative and Sub0unctive

.om!le Structures

+ootnotes

!T"O#$CT!O
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In the histor3 o" indienous studies o" .hia!as% it is ironic that des!ite the decades o"

ethno4linuistic research conducted in that reion and the dozens o" investiators that

have surrounded and invaded the indienous communities o" the hihlands% there is ver3little use"ul and accessible material related to !roblems o" interest to the sub0ect o" those

scienti"ic investiations8that is to sa3% the indienous !eo!le themselves9

#he lac: o" a !ractical rammar "or #zotzil% mother tonue o" more than one4hundred

thousand !eo!le in .hia!as% -ritten in S!anish% is at once a s3m!tom and a cause o" the

scorn and inorance -ith -hich this indienous lanuae is vie-ed b3 man3

investiators and bureaucrats9 #he !edaoical and linuistic materials currentl3 in

eistence are almost all o" "orein oriin (as are the "e- non4indienous individuals that

have more than a merchant;s master3 o" #zotzil)9

&"ter ten 3ears o" strulin to learn #zotzil% -ith n% ?@AB)% -hich re!resents the richness o" #zotzil -ith im!ressive

erudition9 Furthermore% it ives me !leasure to e!ress m3 ratitude to ,orman

7cuo-n% Ce0amn Preciado4Sols% and es!eciall3 Galio Gurdi>n "or their editorial

hel! -ith the S!anish tet9

Ho-ever% the -ells!rin o" this -or:44"rom -hich the -ords% the conversations% and the

"ollo-in e!lanations "lo-44is the tal: I have shared -ith m3 =inacanteco com!adres%

"riends% and neihbors9 I ho!e that this rammar serves the readers not onl3 as an

instrument "or learnin the structure and basic vocabular3 o" the lanuae% but also to

et a "eel "or the 6enius6 o" #zotzil% thereb3


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Chapter One:

ote% on &honolo(

1.0 Sounds and Pronunciation

#he #zotzil s!o:en in =inacantan (that is% =inacantec #zotzil) has more or less the same

!honemic s3stem as other dialects o" #zotzil9

1o-els$

a i e o u(nearl3 the same as the vo-els in S!anish)

Sto!s and &""ricates$

p t tz ch k

E0ectives$

p' t' tz' ch' k' `b(occlusive lottalized voiced consonant)

Fricatives$

v s x j

,asals$

m n

&!!roimants$ l (r) y

#here are also t-o h3!othetical !roto4!honemes that re!resent di""erent sounds

de!endin u!on the contet in -hich the3 occur$


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(a root vo-el% -hich is !ronounced as aor o)

!(a consonant that in other dialects is a voiced !har3neal or velar% but is !ronounced

as v%yorjin =inacantec #zoztil9)

#he s3mbol () re!resents a lottal sto! (-hich is -ritten as A or in other

orthora!hies)9 #his s3mbol contrasts -ith (;)9 #he s3mbol (;) a"ter a consonant

indicates the lottalization o" that consonant% -hich results in a stron e!losion o" air9

(In order to learn to !ronounce these sounds it is better to imitate the !ronunciation o" a

native4s!ea:er o" #zotzil9)

#he letters band vcontrast9 #he vis articulated -ith the li!s above the teeth% more or

less li:e the vin Enlish (vine)% althouh in other dialects (includin certain -ords o"=inacantec #zotzil that occu!3 an intermediate !osition) the va!!ears more li:e a

bilabial "ricative or "9 #he =inacantec -ord vinik6man6 is e


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(It is necessar3 to test these -ords -ith someone -ho s!ea:s #zotzil9) In the

third contet (in -ord4"inal or !re4consonant !osition)% a lottalized consonant

!roduces an a!!arent !rolonation and tension in the !recedin vo-el9

#hexre!resents a voiceless alveo4!alatal "ricative (li:e theshinshort)9 #he kis a velar

sto! (li:e the cin canor cable)% and k'is its e0ective e


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I also -rite a "e- -ords% all S!anish loan -ords% -ith "4a letter that corres!onds to the

initial uo" di!hthons in S!anish -ords9

b"eno6bueno%6 ood

b"elta 6vuelta%6 -al:% stroll

Ece!tions to this norm are$

+anvel 7anuel

In other dialects o" #zotzil% the sound re!resented here b3 "is !ronounced more li:e v

(li:e$ .hamulan bvenoor veno6bueno6)9

Some roots contain the h3!othetical letter% a vo-el -hich ehibit an alternationbet-een aand o9 #he most common situation is the "ollo-in$ a noun or ad0ective has

o% but the derived "orms "rom the same root have a$

chob corn"ield-chabaj to cultivate corn (intransitive verb)

pom incense-pamta to cense (transitive verb)

In these cases% -e can !ostulate the h3!othetical roots chbandpm9 1erbal roots -ith

sometimes !roduce derived numeral classi"iers (see section A9K) -ith o% but verbs -ith

a9

-jov slice% cut% hal"(numeral classi"ier)-jav to s!lit (transitive verb)

Here -e also !ostulate a rootjv% -hich !roduces the "orms that no- occur throuh

reular !rocesses9 (In man3 cases% but not all% the corres!ondin -ords in #zeltal havean a% -ithout a chane in the vo-el$

#zotzil #zeltal Glossk'ok' k'ahk' 6"ire6 (noun)k'ak'- k'ahk' 6burn6 (t9v9)k'ak'al k'ahk'al 6da36 (da3)

#he t-o lanuaes have develo!ed di""erent !atterns% based u!on common !ast "orms9)


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*n the other hand% the sound re!resented b3 the letter!no- eists in other dialects o"

#zotzil9 #his sound re!resents a develo!ment o" the !roto4consonant ,!% -hich in

=inacantec #zotzil becomes vbe"ore oand u5jbe"ore a5 andybe"ore ior e9 .om!are$

=inacantn Huistan (and !arts o" .hamula) Glossvo'on Ho;on Ivo' Ho; -atervo'ob Ho;ob "ive

yech Hech li:e thatja' Ha; em!hatic !articleyi' Hi; sandvun Hun !a!er

#hese -ords come "rom !re4eistin !roto4"orms -ith,!

9 =inacantec #zotzil retainsre"lees o" this !honetic inheritance9 For eam!le% a !ossessed "orm o" vo'ob6"ive6

-ould be% accordin to reular !rocesses%svo'obal6the "i"th96 #his "orm co4eists -ith

another% I3o;obal% -here the combination o" the !ossessive !re"i !lus the initial!

becomesy9 #he same !rocess can be seen in the -ord Ivo;% "rom the !roto "orm!`9 &

derived "orm% -ith the su""i I41l (vo-el L l) sho-s the vo-el chane% and the initial

consonant is com!letel3 dro!!ed$

vo` -atery-a`al his -ater

#here is also an inchoative verb that is "ormed -ith the su""i -ub$

ja`ub to et -et

Some -ords in =inacantec #zotzil are ece!tions% and the!becomesybe"ore u5 these

-ords also sho- traces o" the lost IH9 For eam!le% there are t-o verbal roots inyu-%

-hich are descendents o" !roto4"orms -ith ,!u9

yu`-be able (intransitive verbM ,!u`-)yul-to arive here (M ,!ul-)

(.om!are #zeltal hu`-6"inish6 and .hamulan vul-6arrive here6)9 +ith the tense mar:er

6non4!ast6 in the third !erson% ch-% the initialyo" the t-o verbs is lost$

(i)yu`He -as able to9 chu`He is oin to be able9(i)yulHe arrived9 chulHe is oin to arrive9


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*n the other hand% the 6true6yin other verbs is not lost$

(i)yal He descended9chyal He is oin to descend9

(i)yuk'e He cleaned himsel"9chyuk'e He is oin to clean himsel"9

*ne must ta:e into consideration these !honetic com!leities -hen learnin another

dialect o" #zotzil% because this !honetic variation is concentrated !recisel3 in modern

-ords that contain letters li:e!%p'% and "(the last one in loan -ords)9

1.1 Root Forms

#he most common "orm o" a #zotzil root is .1. (.Mconsonant% 1Mvo-el)9 &lmost all

#zotzil -ords can be anal3zed as a root o" this "orm toether -ith certain a""ies9 #he

"ollo-in -ords consist o" sim!le roots$

pim thic:t'ul rabbit

si` "ire-oodpuy snail

sotz' batvaj tortillapop matnat lon% dee!k'ok' "ireèp man3% muchòl heav3ìch chileùs mideNbu""alo nat

*ne can see that there are no roots -ith an initial vo-el (althouh the lottal sto! () islost in combination -ith certain !re"ies)9 #here are also monos3llabic roots% o" the

"orm .19 &side "rom the !articles% these roots a!!ear to be derived "rom !roto4"orms

-ith a -ord4"inal OH9

xa alread3 (tem!oral !article)to still

xi thus% sote there (demonstrative and tem!oral !article)mi i"% -hether (interroative !article)


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Ho-ever% certain "orms are ece!tions to the rule9 For eam!le$

#zotzil #zeltal Glossch'a ch'ah bitter

ù ùh moonch'o ch'oh mousena nah housevo hah "l3chi- chih- sa3

*n the other hand% com!are$

ch;a0 ch;a0 laz3

#he "inal H has le"t its stam! in derived "orms o" certain #zotzil -ords9 #hus% the -ordno 6thread6 has the h3!othetical "orm ,na!9

no threadnajomaj- to thread (intransitive verb)najebal ourd dish into -hich the s!indle is !ut (literall3$ 6!lace "or s!innin6)-navu s!in (transitive verb)-navul the thread o" (!ossessed noun)

#here is also another h3!othetical root o" the "orm OsiH that can be seen in$

jsijom!erson that so"tens -ool-sivu so"ten (-ool% to !re!are it "or s!innin)

Here% throuh non4!roductive rules% the OH becomes v or 0% or it is dro!!ed com!letel3

in -ord4"inal !osition9

#here are also bis3llabic roots% mostl3 nouns and ad0ectives9 #he t3!ical "orm o" such a

root is .1.1.9 +ith ad0ectival roots the "ormula is more restricted$ the same vo-el

a!!ears in both s3llables9

bik'it smallchopol badkoòl same

poko` used% oldàtz'am saltbikil intestinesch'ivit mar:etchamu` .hamula


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k'evuj son% chantmeòn or!hanèlan- to be (intransitive verb)-àìy "eel% hear (transitive verb)

& "e- bis3llabic roots do not con"orm to this !attern9 #here are roots o" the "orm

.1(.)1.% in -hich the intermediar3 consonant disa!!ears in a "e- dialects5 also%

certain a!!arentl3 non4com!ound roots sho- the "orm .1.4.1.9

ta(y)iv crushed ice% "rost(#zeltal$ tahiv)xu(v)it -ormcha(v)uk thunder and lihtninma(y)il !um!:in

àjnil -i"eìxtol to3% rinbankil older brother (o" a man)

xibnel older brother (o" a -oman)

Roots -ith consonants clusters do not eist% ece!t in the roots mentioned above% and in

the "ollo-in$

àntz -omankrem(v9 kelem6rooster6) bo3àbt-(#zeltal$ àbat6servant6) -or:

Finall3% there are a "e- bis3llabic roots -ith "inal s3llables that end -ith vo-els% o" the

"orm .1.1 or .1.4.1$

àma "lutebatz'i(#zeltal$ bats'il) trul3-mala -aitvo`ne lon aobak'ni(variation$ bak'in) earl3% -hen

#hese !honetic notes -ill hel! students loo: u! a root in the dictionar3 (or in the

vocabular3 included in this rammar)9 #he consonant clusters that bein -ords almost

al-a3s consist o" a !re"i toether -ith a root% and roots are al!habetized accordin to

their initial consonant9 #hus% sna 6his house6 can be anal3zed as the !re"is-toether

-ith the root na 6house96 &nd the -ord chtal 6he comes6 is anal3zable as the !re"i ch4

-ith the root tal-6to come6 (intransitive verb)9 Similarl3% -ords -ith three s3llables or

more% almost al-a3s consist o" a monos3llabic or bis3llabic root -ith a""ies9 #he -ord


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ìxtalal% "or eam!le% is in the dictionar3 under the root ìxtol6to3% rin6 (there"ore as a

"orm o" the h3!othetical root ìxtl)9 &"ter eliminatin !re"ies and su""ies in the -ord

0vaba0om 6musician%6 and ta:in into account the !ossibilit3 o" a chane in the vo-els

bet-een a and o (enendered b3 the h3!othetical vo-el)% the root vob emeres (M

vb) 6strin instrument%6 "rom -hich the -ordjvabajomis derived9

1.2 Stress and Intonation

#he !rimar3 accent o" a -ord in #zotzil "alls on the "irst s3llable o" the root5 there is

also an even stroner accent that accom!anies the last s3llable o" a !hrase or sentence

(it can consists o" a sinle -ord% !ronounced in isolation% or o" -ords uttered in the

same breath)9 For eam!le% see the "ollo-in !hrases (-hich can be heard as a 9+&1"ile)$

#zotzil Glossjvabajom musicianli jvabajome the musicianhtal li jvabajome. #he musician is comin9htal xa li jvabajom ùne. +ell% the musician is comin`li jvabajome/ chtal xa. #he musician% he;s comin alread39

Here the s3mbol N re!resent -ord% and the s3mbol NN re!resents !hrasal accent% -hich is

even more em!hatic9 It is clear that !articles are not accented unless the3 are in "inal

!osition9

1.3 Examples for Pronunciation

I -ill ive a "e- re!resentative -ords in order to demonstrate the lanuae;s contrastin

!honemes9

C$

#hese -ords can be heard as a 9+&1 "ile9

vo "l3te thereme desiderative !articleli theti the (remote)

xi said
http://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Audio/stress.WAVhttp://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Audio/stress.WAVhttp://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Audio/CV.WAVhttp://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Audio/stress.WAVhttp://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Audio/stress.WAVhttp://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Audio/CV.WAV


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chi hene


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*

laj It "inished9kajal mounted

toj !ine

+ario,%

la` .ome hereQla hearsa3 !articlekakal stuc:% cauhtka`alm3 -atertok cloudto still

C

tzib "ernchi hene


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b

ibaj It -as loc:ed u!9jbel73 contents9

bin-!ot4belliedbol brother4in4la-% idiot

C., /consonant plus glottal stop0

ch-àv Its !lanted or seeded9ch-ìl It loo:s9ch-òk He cries9ch-ùch'e He drin:s9ch-ùl It eva!orates9chak-ùlan!ur!le ("or eam!le% a "lo-er)kuch-è -ith a "oot comin out o" the mouthlot-òk -eb4"inered

j-ìlol curerkup-ìk'ij to dro-n

C- /glottal consonant0

ch'av to scream anril3-ch'il to "r3ch'ok -art

ch'uch'(e)!lant s!ecies (.anna)ch'ul sacred% hol3chak'ulan to ive continuall3kuch'(e) I dran:9lot'ol l3in% sittin% standin toether

In these last eam!les% the h3!hen be"ore the lottal sto! is -ritten to ma:e clear the

correct !ronunciation 4the lottal sto! "ollo-s the non4lottalized consonant% either the

result o" the use o" a !re"i% or in a com!ound -ord9 I" one does not con"use the lottal

sto! () -ith the a!ostro!he (;) that indicates lottalization o" a consonant% it is

unnecessar3 to -rite the dash9 In this case% -ords li:e chul 6it eva!orates6 and ch;ul

6hol36 -ill not be con"used9 #hese are !roblems -ith orthora!h3 -ith little anal3tical

im!ortance9 & "e- students o" #zotzil !re"er to use onl3 one s3mbol (usuall3 (;)) "or

both lottal sto!s and consonant lottalization% in -hich case it -ould be !re"erable to

use the h3!hen to indicate the lottal sto! that "ollo-s a consonant% althouh "or those

!eo!le that alread3 s!ea: the lanuae% there is little !ossibilit3 o" con"usion9


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,ot bein standardized% the orthora!h3 !roduces other similar !roblems% -hich ever3

student -ill resolve di""erentl39 For eam!le% the division o" a sentence into se!arate

-ords is some-hat arbitrar35 some !articles ("or eam!le% -e% -hich ends !hrases% or

-aà6indeed6) do not have an initial lottal sto!% and al-a3s unite -ith the !revious

-ords in the !hrase9 In m3 case% I -rite these -ords se!aratel3% but -ith the intial

lottal sto!9 *ther -ords% in =inacantec #zotzil% also bein -ith a vo-el -ithout a

lottal sto!$ i(contraction o" li 6de"inite article6)% and -ords -ith the !re"i i-

(com!letive as!ect) and a-(second !erson)9 &ll other -ords are -ritten -ith an initial

lottal sto! or -ith another initial consonant9 Similarl3% -hen the !rocess o" addin an

a""i !roduces double "ricative consonants% these reduce to onl3 one consonant$ thus

-hen I -ritexx%ss% orjjin order to ma:e clear the rammatical structure o" the !hrase%

these letters should be !ronounced asx%s% orj9 *ther double consonants are !ronounced

t-ice% li:e chchor tztz% in verbal construction or in -ords -ith the same t-o consonants

a!!earin in con0oinin s3llables9 I -ill ive a "e- eam!les$

li tzebe the irl li tzebeja` aà indeed jaààta ana in 3our house taananom ibat He -ent "ar a-a39 nomibat

òy òn #here is avocado9 òy ònta xxi` He is scared9 ta xi`ta ssut He is returnin9 ta sut

jjamtik 'et;s o!en itQ jamtikchchan He learns it9 ch-chantztzak He rabs it9 tz-tzakixcha`-àl He returned to sa39 (t-o lottal sto!s toether)vak-koj si rades (-ith t-o k;s toether% not ,vakoj)

.ontrast vuk-koj6si rades6 -ithsvukoj sba6It !u""ed u!96

Chapter 0:

Ba%ic Sentence%


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2.0 Existence*3 vo9 #here is -ater9

vo% 6-ater6*3 va09 #here are tortillas9

va0% 6tortillas6*3 vob9 #here is music9

vob% 6(strin) music6*3 :;in9 #here is a !art39

:;in% 6!art36

*3 chamel9 #here is sic:ness5 someone is sic:9chamel% 6sic:ness6*3 ch;ivit9 #here is a mar:et9

ch;ivit% 6mar:et6

#he -ord o3 e!resses the eistence o" somethin9 It means 6there is6 or 6a thin

eists96 & sim!le sentence in #zotzil has the basic order$

.ommentar3 #o!ic

In other -ords% the to!ic% the thin -e are tal:in about% "ollo-s the commentar34-hat

the sentence sa3s about the to!ic9 In sentences that indicate eistence% the commentar3

is o34a !redicate that indicates the eistence o" somethin9 Sentences that indicate

eistence in #zotzil can e!ress the eistence o" somethin concrete or a !rocess%

activit3% or condition% de!endin u!on the noun that "unctions as to!ic9

*3 vob9 #here is music97i o3 va0 &re there tortillas

7i o3 vo Is there -ater

uestions in #zotzil are "ormed b3 insertin the -ord mi be"ore an indicative

(declarative) sentence9 (uestions are also "ollo-ed b3 an interroative% or risin%

intonation9)

7i o3 vo Is there -ater7i o3 va0 &re there tortillas*39 *3 va09 es% there are9 #here are tortillas9


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#o ans-er in the a""irmative% it is necessar3 in #zotzil to re!eat% at the ver3 least% the

o!erative -ords4the commentar3 or the !redicate4o" the a""irmative sentence9 ,ote that

the -ord va0 can be translated as 6tortilla6 or as 6tortillas%6 accordin to contet9

.h;abal va09 #here are no tortillas9ch;abal% 6there is none% there isn;t an36

7u3u: va09 #here are no tortillas9

#he neative "orm o" o3 is mu3u:9 #he -ord ch;abal is also used "re


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#-o !hrases or sentences can be con0oined in #zotzil -ithout the -ord 6and96

*3 va0 o3 :;oo9 #here are tortillas and tostadas9:;oo% 6tostada6

2.1 Specific Time and Place

It is !ossible to s!eci"3 time and location in a sentence that indicates eistence9

*3 vo ta :;ib9 #here is -ater in the 0u9:;ib% 6-ater 0u6

*3 chene:; ta !;in9 #here are beans in the !ot9!;in% 6!ot6

*3 vob ta :;in9 #here is music durin the !art39*3 ch;ivit ta lune9 #here is a mar:et on 7onda3s9.h;abal va0 ch;abal vo ta olon9 #here are neither tortillas nor -ater in the lo-lands9

olon% 6lo-6;*3 !u:u0 ta a:;ubal9 #here are demons at niht9

!u:u0% 6devil% demon6a:;ubal% 6niht6

#a is the onl3 !re!osition in #zotzil% and it has a ver3 eneral meanin$ as much

tem!oral as s!atial (-ith or -ithout movement)9 #em!oral and s!atial constituents -ith

ta ta:e the "ollo-in "orm$

ta L noun (either a time or a !lace)

Eam!les "ollo-$

7i o3 chon ta be Is there a sna:e on the roadchon% 6animal% sna:e6

be% 6road6.h;abal ta be9 *3 ta teeti:9 #here are none on the road% (but) there are in the "orest9

teeti:% 6"orest67i o3 va0 ta ch;ivit &re there tortillas at the mar:et7u3u:9 ,o9

& !hrase -ith ta is al-a3s de"inite$ ta ch;ivit means 6in the mar:et65 ta be is e


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:;a:;al% 6da3% sun6ol :;a:;al% 6noon6

*3 :aro ta 0un ora9 #here is a car (that comes) at one9:aro% 6truc:% car6

0un% 6one6ora% 6hour6

*3 a0an ta a:osto9 #here -ill be corn in &uust9a0an% 6corn6

*3 ch;ivit ta Jobel9 .h;abal ta

,abenchau:9

#here is a mar:et in San .ristbal% but not in

,abenchau:9Jobel% 6San .ristobal6

#hese locative and tem!oral !hrases can be "ronted in order to ive s!ecial em!hasis to

the time or !lace s!eci"ied9

#a Jobel o3 ch;ivit9 In San .ristbal% there is a mar:et9#a a:;ubal o3 !u:u09 #a ol :;a:;al

ch;abal9&t niht% there are demons9 &t noon% there are

none9

In these eam!les% the !hrases -ith ta are in the commentar3 !osition4that is to sa3% the3

o at the beinnin9 uestions about location can be "ormed this -a39

7i ta Jobel mi ta ,abenchau: o3

ch;ivit

Is it in San .ristbal or ,abenchau: that there is a

mar:et7i ta 0un ora mi ta ol :;a:;al o3

:aroIs it at one or at noon that there;s a car

2.2 Temporal Particles

*3 to vo ta :;ib9 #here is still no -ater in the 0u9*3 to chene:;9 #here are still no beans9

+ith sentences that indicate eistence% the !article to is e


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!re!ared)9

#he sense o" to can be re!resented -ith the "ollo-in diaram$

I,SER# DI&GR&7 HERE

Similarl3% the !article a is more or less e


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!articles that have the literal sense 6-here64the enclitic u: does not a!!ear9 #hus% mu a

bu o3 means 6there is no !lace -here96

#o and a can also modi"3 a !hrase !laced be"ore ta% as in the "ollo-in eam!les$

#a ch;ivit o3 chene:;9 In the mar:et there are beans9#a ch;ivit to (0a) o3

chene:;9

&s "ar as the mar:et there are beans (and the3 can;t be "ound

an3 closer)9

#a ch;ivit a o3 chene:;9In the mar:et at least there are beans (and there ma3 be some

closer% as -ell)9

Here% the !articles sho- a locative sense% obviousl3 related to the tem!oral sense

illustrated above9 .onsider also$

7i o3 :;in Is there a "iesta.h;abal to9 #a lune to o39 ,ot 3et9 ,ot until 7onda39

7i o3 to a0an ta :;in+ill there still be corn4on4the4cob at the

"iesta#a :;in ch;abal a9 (T;al) ta :;in a%

ch;abal9&t the "iesta there alread3 -eren;t an39

#he !article o is used% alone or in combination -ith to or a% to indicate a s!eci"ic

moment in the !ast or in the "uture (but not in the !resent)9

7i o3 o man:o ta :;in +ill there be (or -ere there) manos at the "iestaman:o% 6mano6

*3 a o9#here alread3 -ill be some9 *r$ there alread3 -ere

some9*3 to o9 #here -ill be some9 *r$ #here still -ere9

7i o3 a o be ta ,abenchau:0unabi

+as there alread3 a road in ,abenchau: last 3ear9

0unabi% 6a 3ear ao6.h;abal to o9 #here still -asn;t9

*"ten% o is accom!anied b3 an e!licit tem!oral e!ression$

7i o3 to o :;in o:;ob +ill there still be a "iesta tomorro-7u3u: a o o:;ob #omorro-% there -on;t be9

o:;ob% 6tomorro-67i o3 to o iim vol0e +as there still corn 3esterda3


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iim% 6corn6vol0e% 63esterda36

*3 to o% !ero lavie ch;abal

a9

#here -as still some (3esterda3)% but toda3 there is

alread3 none9

lavie% 6no-% toda367i o3 to si Is there still "ire-oodsi% 6"ire-ood6

*3 o na9 7u a o bu o3

tana9

Earlier toda3 there still -as% but in a little bit there -on;t

be9na% 6earlier toda36tana% 6in a minute% in a little -hile6

7i o3 us ta olon &re there nats in the lo-landsus% 6nat6

.h;abal o samel9 #here -eren;t an3 last niht9samel% 6last niht6

*3 has the shortened "orm o (and sometimes u)9

7i o vo Is there -ater

Chapter Three:

Location

3.0 Definite Articles !ocation

Sentences that indicate eistence% li:e those dealt -ith in the !revious cha!ter% o"ten

have inde"inite nouns$ #here is -ater4some -ater% -ater in eneral9 #here is a !art3% etc9

*ne can also s!ea: o" thins that are de"inite$ the -ater or the tortillas or the !art3

(-hich -e have alread3 mentioned in discourse)9 & noun in #zotzil has the "ollo-in

"orm$

(&rticle) L ,oun (L Demonstrative) (L Enclitic)


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(-here elements in !arentheses are o!tional)9 &n inde"inite noun consists o" the noun b3

itsel"% -ithout an article9

vo -ater

iim corn:;in !art3

& de"inite nouns has an article and ends -ith an enclitic$

li vo e the -aterli iim e the cornli :;in e the !art3

'i is a de"inite article that sinals the !roimit3 o" a s!eci"ic thin$ li is e


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li Uun e John (some de"inite

!erson)li Uun li e this John hereli Uun le e that John there

li Uun ta0 e John% -ho is over there(nearb3% but not

visible)

ta0 Uun e the alread3 mentioned

Johnti Uun e John (-ho is "ar a-a3

and lived in the !ast)

3.1 !ocati"e Sentences

*3 vo li to e #here is -ater here9*3 iim le to e9 #here is corn there9*3 vitz ta0 to e9 #here is a mountain over there9

E!ressions -ith li% le% and ta0 combine -ith to to "unction in sentences that indicate

eistence% 0ust li:e locative !hrases -ith ta9 ,ote that locative !hrases -ith ta can also

ta:e the enclitic 4e and demonstrate cali"icacion9

*3 vo ta :;ib9 #here is -ater in the 0u9

*3 vo li ta :;ib e9 #here is -ater here in the 0u9*3 ch;ivit ta0 ta Jobel e9 #here is a mar:et over there in

San .ristobal9*3 si: le ta a:;ol e9 It is cold u! there9si:% 6cold6a:;ol% 6u!6

#hese sentences e!ress the eistence o" thins that are de"inite% -hile at the same time

indicatin their location9 In these sentences% the -ord o3 means% 6#here isV6 Such

sentences contrast -ith locative sentences% -hich s!eci"3 the !lace -here some de"initethin can be "ound9

'i o3 li iim e9 #he corn is here9'i o3 iim9 #here is corn here9

#he second eam!le sentence indicates eistence (the eistence o" a certain


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'i li iime9 #he corn is here97i li li iime Is the corn here7i li a li iime Is the corn alread3 here'i a9 It is alread3 here97i le to o3 li nae Is the house over therena% 6house6'e to o39 es% over there9

'i:e the main -ord o" the !redicate% li 6here6 can "unction -ithout the !article to% but

the !redicate le to 6over there6 seems indivisible9

*3 vo ta :;ib9 #here is -ater in the 0u9#e o3 ta :;ib li vo e9 #he -ater is there in the 0u9

Similarl3% locative sentences can be based in !hrases -ith ta9 #he !lace% the location% isindicated -ith the !re!osition ta9 #he central -ord o" the !redicate is te 6in such a

!lace6 toether -ith o3 and the -ord o3 can be dro!!ed9

7i te ta na li tz;i e Is the do in the housetz;i% 6do6#e ta na9 He is (in the house)9#e li tz;ie9 #he do is there (in the !lace

mentioned)9#e (o3)9 es% he is there97i te to ta teti: li tzeb e Is the irl still in the "orest#e to9 She still is (there)9#e to o ta Jobel na li Uun e9 John -as in San .ristWbal

earlier toda397i te to lavi e Is he still there

#he neative "orms o" these locative sentences sho- the !resence o" the -ord o3 in

their basic tem!late9

7i te ta na li lu: e9 Is the billhoo: still in the

houselu:% 6billhoo:6.h;abal te9 .h;abal9 It isn;t there9 #here isn;t one97i te to ta !;in li ;ul e Is the atole still in the !ot7u3u: a9 ,ot no-97i li a li Uune Is John here 3et

7u to bu lie9.h;abal to lie9 ,ot 3et9


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'ocative assertions neate easil3 -ith "orms o" o34ch;abal% mu3u:% mu:; bu9 +ith the

!article to and a% the neative "orms mu a bu 6not no-6 and mu to bu 6not 3et6 are

used9 I -ill ive a "e- more eam!les9

7i li to o ta ,abenchau: li

mol e

+as the old man here in

,abenchau: earliermol% 6old man67u to o bu li e9 .h;abal to

o9

,o% he -asn;t he earlier9

7i te ta vitz li :rus e Is the cross there on the

mountain7u:; bu te9 7u3u:9 ,o% it isn;t there9

7i li ta na li tz;ie Is the do here in the house7u li u: e9 He isn;t here97i te to ta mu:;ta be li :aro e Is the car still on the hih-a3mu:;ta% 6bi67u a te u:9 ,ot no-9

#he neative !article mu% and the enclitic 4u: that accom!anies it% can combine directl3

-ith locative -ords li:e te and li9 In this -a3% the !redicate li 6here6 or te 6in such a

!lace6 is directl3 neated4to suest that the to!ic is neither here nor there but rather in

another s!eci"ied !lace9

7u:; bu lie9 ,* Gloss9.h;abal lie9 ,* Gloss97u3u: lie9 It isn;t here (neutral sense)97u li u:e9 It isn;t here (but is in another

!lace)9

3.2 Emp#asis$ Frontin%$ and Definiteness

.ontrast the -ord order and meanin o" the "ollo-in sentences$

(#e) o3 iim ta moch9 #here is corn in the bas:et9moch% 6bas:et6#e (o3) ta moch li iim e9 #he corn is in the bas:et9

(#he -ords in !arentheses in each sentence can be omitted9 ,ote the di""erence9) #he

most de"inite noun in each sentence occu!ies the "inal !osition9 In the sentence thatindicates eistence% the noun iim 6corn6 is inde"inite4it means 6some corn% an


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inde"inite amount o" corn65 iim does not carr3 an article% and it occu!ies an

intermediar3 !osition9 *n the other hand% ta moch 6in the bas:et6 is more de"inite%

althouh it does not carr3 the de"inite article li9 In realit3% the ob0ects o" the !re!osition

ta never carr3 articles% or% better said% the articles a!!ear to be dro!!ed a"ter ta% a

!re!osition that contain a de"inite sense b3 itsel"9 #hus% the !hrase ta moch 6in the

bas:et64bein the most de"inite constituent o" the sentence4oes to the end (2)9

In the sentence

#e ta moch li iim e9

the sub0ect4the noun in "inal !osition4li iime is ver3 much de"inite$ 6the corn6 ("or

eam!le% the corn that -e are loo:in "or)9 It is !ossible to move the sub0ect to the

beinnin o" the sentence% "or reater em!hasis or to "ocus attention on the to!ic (in this

case% the corn)9

&li iime% te ta moch9 &s "or the corn% it;s in the

bas:et9

#he !article a4 combines -ith the article at the beinnin% and a !ause se!arates the

"ronted sub0ect "rom the rest o" the sentence9

+e have alread3 observed that a noun inside a locative !hrase -ith ta cannot carr3 an

article% because the !re!osition ta has a sense o" de"initeness9 .onsider ho- one

constructs a locative !hrase -ith ta based on a de"inite noun li:e one o" the "ollo-in$

li be lie the road here% this roadli na lee the house there% that house

ti vitze the mountain (remote)li nab ta0e the la:e in that direction

&ll the nouns are deictic$ the3 sinal -hat -e see or remember% and the3 carr3

demonstrative articles% -hich indicate the !osition o" the named ob0ect relative to the

s!ea:er9 *bserve ho- one incor!orates these nouns in !hrases -ith ta$

*3 vo li ta be e9 #here is -ater here on the

road9

*3 :;o:; le ta na e9 #here is "ire there in the house9*3 to o !u:u0 (te) ta vitz e9 #here -as a demon (there) on
http://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Chapters/foot.htmlhttp://www.zapata.org/Tzotzil/Chapters/foot.html


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the mountain9*3 cho3 ta0 ta nab e9 #here are "ish over there in the

la:e9

Here one sees that the basic "orm o" a locative !hrase -ith ta is$

'ocative Particle L ta L ,oun

#he locative !article can be deictic (demonstrative li:e li% le% etc9) or neutral% li:e te9

&nd the neutral !article te can be dro!!ed com!letel39 ,ote that it is the locative

!article that is neated in neative sentences -ith a locative !hrase -ith ta9

7i te to ta na li Uun e Is John still in the house

7u a te u:97u a bu te9.h;abal a te9 ,ot no- (he isn;t)9

In locative sentences (o" the "orm 6U is in 6)% the entire locative e!ression4-ith a

locative !article% and ta !lus a noun4"unctions as !redicate9

3.3 &uestions of !ocation

Cu (o3) li Uun e +here is John#e ta na9 (He;s) in the house9Cu li mu:;ta be e +here is the hih-a3#e ta a:;ol9 /! above9

#he -ord bu (-hich -e have alread3 seen in neative e!ression li:e mu:; bu) means

6-here96 In


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'i ta :;ib o3 vo9 Here in the 0u there is -ater9Cu o3 vo +here is there -ater

Here bu re!laces a locative !hrase in initial !osition9

Cu o3 va0 +here are there tortillas7u:; bu o39 #here aren;t an397u a bu o39 #here aren;t an3 no-9

In these eam!les one can see that neative e!ressions -ith bu re!resent the direct

a!!lication o" neative !articles to the -ord bu$ mu:; bu o3 means% literall3$ 6there is

no !lace -here there isNare96

3.' (t#er Interro%ati"e )ords

*3 vo ta :;ib9EUIS#E,.E #*PI. '*.I*,

+e have alread3 learned ho- to


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7uch;u te ta 0obel +ho is in San .ristobal#e li Pa:ue9 Pa:u is (here)97uch;u o3 ta na +ho is (literall3$ -ho is there)

in the house

7u:; buch;u o39 #here isn;t an3one97uch;u te ta 0ol vitz +ho is on the !ea: o" the

mountain7u:; buch;u te39 ,o one is there9

0ol% 6!ea:% to!5 head6

+e -ill treat com!ound e!ression li:e 0ol vitz (literall3$ 6the head o" the mountain%6 in

other -ords% 6the mountainto!6) in the "ollo-in section9

#hese interroative -ords are also used as relative !ronouns% li:e their Enlishe


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-ords li:e :;usi% much;u% etc9% o at the beinnin o" the constituents to -hich the3

!ertain$

7i o3 :;usi li ta :;ibe

X eists somethin here in the -ater 0uIs there somethin

here in the -ater

0u

In this sentence% the entire e!ression :;usi li ta :;ibe "unctions as a sinle noun% the

sub0ect o" the !redicate o3% -hich indicates eistence9

&nother inde"inite use o" the interroative -ords can be seen in the "ollo-in eam!les9

Cu li 0ilol e +here is the curer0ilol% 6curer6#e nan bu39 Some!lace (+ho :no-s

-here)nan% 6!erha!s (indicates

uncertaint3)6T;usi ta0 ta ba tonti: +hat is there over there on to!

o" the roc:sba% 6on to!% "ace6ton% 6roc:6tonti:% 6roc:3 !lace6#e nan :;usi9 Somethin9 (+ho :no-s

-hat)7uch;u to o li e +ho -as here#e nan much;u9 Someone9 (+ho :no-s -ho)

&s the !revious eam!les have sho-n% the neative "orms o" these -ords are alsoe


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Chapter 1:

The Str,ct,re of o,n%2 &art 3

'.0 *ouns and Possession

`0y krus ta jol vitz.#here is a cross on to! o" the

mountain9`0y much'u te ta ba `osil. #here is someone on to! o" the hill9

osil% 6land% earth6Te ta ti` na li tz'i`. #he do is in the door-a39

ti`% 6mouth% ban:% o!enin6Taj ta pat mok li tzebe. #he irl is behind the "ence9

pat% 6bac:% behind6mok% 6"ence6

`taj krem e/ te ta pat mak

na.&s "or that bo3% he is behind the door9

& lare class o" nouns% man3 o" -hich are bod3 !art terms% combines -ith other -ords

to create com!ound "orms$

$ (part) o 1

#hus% "or eam!le% "rom 0ol 6head6 and vitz 6mountain%6 one "orms the com!ound 0ol

vitz 6on to! o" the mountain96 #he rammatical relation o" !ossession% mar:ed b3 6U o"

6 or 6;s U6 in Enlish% is indicated b3 -ord order in #zotzil$ the rammatical

!osssessor "ollo-s the main noun% the !ossessum9 #he roots 0ol 6head%6 ba 6"ace% to!%6

ti 6mouth% ban:%6 and !at 6bac:6 are all bod3 !art terms9 Furthermore% the3 all "iure

into numerous com!ound e!ressions -ith derived meanins9 For eam!le%

jol na 6roo"% lo"t% attic6ba na 6on to! o" the house% on the roo"6ti` na 6entrance to the house6

pat na 6!atio (behind the house)6


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#hese e!ressions are true com!ounds9 .om!ound e!ressions o" this sort o"ten have a

s!ecial meanin that is not !redictable "rom the meanin o" their constituent !arts9 For

eam!le% ti be means 6the side o" the road%6 and ti :;o:; means 6the ede o" the "ire%6

but ti na does not mean 6side o" the house6 but rather 6entrance to the house96 #he

com!ound !at na has a shortened "orm% !ana% -hich means 6outside (o" the house)%6 and

arises "rom derivational !rocesses li:e the interal root9 (Similar com!ound

e!ressions are common enouh in Enlish$ e99% hillto!% rooto!% hillside% door-a3% etc9)

#he eam!le ta !at ma: na sho-s a reat level o" com!leit39 #he constituents !at

6bac:%6 ma: 6lid%6 and na 6house6 combine in order to "orm a structure o" the "orm$

pat mak nathe bac: o" the cover o" the house

#he com!ound ma: na 6door o" the house6 (literall3$ 6cover o" the house6) serves as the

rammatical !ossessor o" !at5 thus the total com!ound means 6behind the door o" the

house6 (literall3$ 6the bac: o" the cover o" the house6)9 #he order o" elements

determines their rammatical relation9

'.1 Possessi"e Prefixes

&lthouh 6


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#he !ossessor "ollo-s the !ossessum% -hose !ossessive !re"i cross4indees its

!ossessor9 +hen the !ossessor is another noun44another !erson% "or eam!le44the !re"i

is s4 6hisNher96

s- na li $un e (his) house o" John

+hen% accordin to contet% the !ossessor is :no-n "rom discourse44"or eam!le% i" -e

have alread3 s!o:en o" John44it does not have to be e!licitl3 stated9

4u li $un e2 +here is JohnTe ta sna. In his house9

Here the !re"i s4 indicates that the !ossessor is someone (or somethin) alread3

mentioned in discourse% and the noun that denotes this !erson (or thin) remains

im!licit9 *n the other hand% -hen the !ossessor is in the "irst or second !erson44i" the

!ossessor is the s!ea:er or addressee% res!ectivel344it is enerall3 unnecessar3 to

s!eci"3 the !ossessor9

`li tzeb e/ te ta jna. &s "or the irl% she is in m3 house9`0y xa ana. ou alread3 have a house9

For reater em!hasis% it is !ossible to include an e!licit "irst or second !erson6!ronoun96 #he sinular !ronouns are$

voòn% 6I6voòt% 63ou6

Pronouns con"orm to the same !attern$ the3 "ollo- !ossessed ob0ects and can also carr3

articles9

jna li voòn e m3 house (o" mine)

& !ronoun a!!ears as !ossessor in order to stress its contrast -ith another !ossessor9

3i` jna ta 7abenchauk. 73 house is here in ,abenchau:94u ana voòt2 +here is 3our house

It is also !ossible to construct strati"ied !ossessive e!ressions -ith three or more levels

o" !ossession (as in the !revious eam!le% ta !at ma: na)9 For eam!le% the sub0ect o"

the sentence


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`0y sna li jtot e. 73 "ather has a house9 ('iterall3$ the house o" m3 "ather eists9)

sho-s the structure$

DI&GR&7 7ISSI,G #he !ronoun voon% 6I%6 does not a!!ear% but remains im!licitin the !re"i 04 6m396 1er3 com!le e!ressions can o"ten result "rom this strati"ication

o" !ossession9

+i òy stz'i` stzeb skrem l abankil

e2

Does the &auhter o your ol&er brother's son have a

&o2

ban:il% 6older brother6

#he basic structure o" this com!le !ossessive !hrase is$

DI&GR&7 7ISSI,G

,ote that% althouh the entire !ossessive !hrase is de"inite44it means 6the do o" the

dauhter o" the son o" the older brother644onl3 the last constituent carries the de"inite

article li9 Similarl3% the com!lement o" a locative !hrase -ith ta cannot carr3 the

de"inite article% but a !osessor in this construction can$

`0y ìxim ta sna li jtot e. #here is corn in m3 "ather;s house9`li tz'i` e/ te ta sna skrem li

jbankile.

&s "or the do% he is in m3 older brother;s son;s

house9

Possessed nouns also occur -ithout an article% -ith an inde"inite% eneric% or !artitive

meanin9

skaro

jnachij

the car o" someone -ho inhabits the reion o" ,achi0 (inde"inite meanin$

-e don;t :no- -hich inhabitant)04nachi0% 6inhabitant o" ,achi06sk'u` àntz -oman;s blouse (eneric sense$ the t3!e o" blouse -oman enerall3 -ear)

:;u% 6blouse% clothin6antz% 6-oman6

*ne sees the !artitive meanin o" an inde"inite noun in the contrast bet-een the

"ollo-in eam!les$

3i` li jcheneke.

Here are m3 beans9


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`0y jchenek'.I have (a certain amount o") beans9 *r$ I have !lanted (a certain amount

o") beans9

& !ossessed noun -hose !ossessor is de"inite can be either de"inite or inde"inite9

3i` xchenek' li jtote. Here are the beans belonin to m3 "ather9`0y xchenek' li jtote. 73 "ather has beans9

#he "orm 4chene:; results -hen one adds the !re"i s4 6hisNher6 to chene:; 6beans96

#he s assimilates to the initial ch o" chene:; and becomes 9 (*ne sa3s that the s

6assimilates6 because it becomes a sound closer to ch9) #he letters and ch; also cause

the assimilation o" the !re"i s49

j-xan m3 !alman% 6!alm (one uses it to se- hats)6

a-xan 3our !almx-xan hisNher !alm (sounds li:e an)

Eam!les "ollo-$

+i òy ach'akil2 Do 3ou have "leasch;a:(il)% 6"lea6

h'abal jch'akil voòn. `0y xch'akil jtz'i`. I don;t have "leas9 73 do has "leas9+i òy ana2 Do 3ou have a house98oòn e/ ch'abal jna/ ch'abal kosil. &s "or me% I have neither a house nor land9

#he -ord :osil is com!osed o" a !ossessive !re"i :4 6m36 and the noun osil 6land96

,ouns beinnin -ith a lottal sto! and a vo-el ta:e di""erent !ossessive !re"ies than

those beinnin -ith a consonant9 #he !re"ies are the "ollo-in$

k-osil m3 land

av-osil 3our landy-osil hisNher land

*ne can see that a root;s initial lottal sto! disa!!ears be"ore the addition o" the !re"i9

+i òy xa avajnil2 Do 3ou alread3 have a -i"ea0nil% 6-i"e6

h'abal to. 8oòte2 ,o% I don;t9 &nd 3ou8oòne/ òy kajnil. &s "or me% I have a -i"e9

+i òy xa òx avajnil janabi e2 Did 3ou alread3 have a -i"e last 3earh'abal to òx aà. ,ot 3et then9


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aa% 6indeed (em!hatic !article)6

'.2 Frontin% *ouns

+i òy xa smalal li $unka` e2 Does Jane alread3 have a -i"e

malal% 6husband6Uun:a% 6Jane6`li $unka` e/ ch'abal smalal. `li

3oxa e/ òy smalal.

&s "or Jane% she has no husband9 (*n the other

hand%) Rose does have a husband9

+e have alread3 seen that the sub0ect o" a sentence can be "ronted4it moves to the "ront

o" the sentence "or reater em!hasis9

Te ta %obel li $unka` e. Jane has a husband9

`li $unka` e/ òy smalal. &s "or Jane% she has a husband9`0y avixim. ou have corn9`li voòte/ òy avixim. ou% 3ou have corn9

&nd the !ossessor -ithin a !hrase -ith ta can also move9

`0y ìxim ta sna li $un e. #here is corn in John;s house9`li $un e/ òy ìxim ta sna. &s "or John% there is corn in his house9Ta sna li $un e/ òy ìxim. In John;s house% there is corn9

*ne must distinuish sentences such as these% -hich e!ress the eistence o" somethin

(corn) in a certain !lace (John;s house) "rom locative sentences% -hich e!ress the

location o" somethin s!eci"ic9

Te ta sna $un li ìxim

e.#he corn is in John;s house9

+hat interest us is the corn in

!articular9Te òy ìxim ta sna li

$un e.

#here is corn there in John;s

house9

+hat interests us is -here -e "ind

somethin9

In the "irst sentence% the -ord Uun does not carr3 a de"inite article9 =inacantec #zotzil

avoids se


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the de"inite noun li iim e9 I" the sub0ect% li iim e% moves "or-ard% the ommitted

article re4a!!ears9

`li ìxim e/ te ta sna li $un e.

Sometimes even more com!licated sentence sho- u!$

3i` ta jna voòn skrem sbankil li $un e.#he son o" John;s older brother is here in m3

house9

`li $un e/ li` ta jna skrem li sbankil e. &s "or John% his older brother;s son is here in

m3 house9` taj sbankil li $un e/ li` ta jna li skrem

e.

&s "or John;s older brother% his son is here in

m3 house9` taj skrem sbankil li $un e/ li` ta jna li

voòne.

&s "or John;s older brother;s son% he is here in

m3 house9

It -ould a!!ear that the -ord ta0 sho-s u! in these "ormulations to avoid the occurence

o" t-o nouns in a ro- introduced b3 li9 Furthermore% ta0 !rovides a vehicle "or the

introductor3 !article a4 that oes at the beinnin o" sentences -ith "ronted de"inite

nouns9

Inde"inite nouns also can be "ronted% but the3 do not re


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#his !artitive construction is some-hat rare9 In eneral% onl3 de"inite nouns at the end

o" a sentence can be "ronted9

Te ta sna $un li jchamel e. #he sic: !erson is at John;s house9

0chamel% 6!erson -ho is sic:6`li jchamel e/ te ta sna li $un e. #he sic: !erson% he;s at John;s house9

.ontrast the "ollo-in eam!le sentences$

`0y ìxim ta sna li $un e. #here is corn at John;s house9`li $un e/ òy ìxim ta sna. &s "or John% there;s corn at his house9Te ta sna $un li ìxim e. &t John;s house there is corn9`li ìxim e/ te ta sna li $une. &s "or the corn% it;s at John;s house9

In all o" these sentences% the most de"inite noun comes is sentence4"inal or ets "ronted9

#he "ormulation o"


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Te ta k'ib e/ k'usi òy2 +hat is there in the -ater 0u`li $un e/ much'u te ta sna2 &s "or John% -ho is in his house

+e have seen that onl3 inde"inite nouns44in eneral -ith a !artitive meanin4 4can be

"ronted "rom a non4"inal !osition9 In this sense% note that the -ord :;usi 6-hat6 is theinde"inite interroative9

`0y si` ta te`tik2 Is there "ire-ood in the "orest;i` e/ òy ta te`tik. &s "or "ire-ood% it is in the "orest9

:'usi òy ta te`tik2 +hat is there in the "orest

#here is a structural relationshi! bet-een the "ollo-in sentences$

`li $un e/ òy ìxim tasna.

+uch'u òy ìxim ta sna2+ho has corn in his house ('iterall3$ In -hose house is there

corn)

&lso note the !ossibilit3 o" these sentences$

Ta sna li $un e/ òy ìxim. &t John;s house there is corn9+uch'u ta sna òy ìxim. &t -ho;s house is there corn

In the last eam!le% the !rocess o"


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#he sentence #e 0na ta Jobel seems to violate the rule that the more de"inite noun should

be at the end o" a sentence9 #hus% the sentences$

Te sna ta %obel li omin e. Domino;s house is in San .ristobal9

Romin% 6Domino6 (!ersonal name)

and the most common "orm$

`li omin e/ te sna ta %obel.

a!!ears to violate the rule that the rammatical !ossessor should directl3 "ollo- the

!ossessed noun9 &nalaous sentences -ith un!ossessed sub0ects are not !ermitted9

#hus$

(Te) `oy k'in ta %obel.

`0y k'in (te) ta %obel. #here is a !art3 in San .ristobal9Te ta %obel li k'in e. #he !art3 is in San .ristobal9

Cut one cannot sa3$

,,, Te k'in ta %obel.

#he !osssibilit3 o" sentences such as$

Te jna ta %obel.

a!!ears to be related to the "act that the !ossessed noun includes in its meanin an

assertion o" the eistence o" the thin named9 Cut I cannot "ind a satis"actor3

e!lanation o" either this !hrase nor o" the "orm -ith the !ossessor "ronted$

`li vo`on e/ te jna ta %obel.

Furthermore% it a!!ears that this construction is onl3 used -ith nouns that denote

immovable ob0ects% thins that remain in the !lace indicated9 *ne does not sa3$

,,, Te kajnil ta 7abenchauk.

Cut it a!!ears correct to sa3$

Ta jchob ta 7abenchauk. I "arm in ,abenchau:9

chob% 6corn"ield6


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#his sentences asserts not onl3 that I do have a corn"ield% and that this corn"ield is in

,abenchau:% but also that it is in ,abenchau: that I maintain m3 corn"ield9?

'.3 A%enti"e *ouns +it# t#e Prefix.

*ne should not con"use the !ossessive !re"i 04 6m36 -ith a homo!h3nous !re"i 04 that

a!!ears in -ords li:e 0ilol 6curer%6 0nachi0 6inhabitant o" ,achi0%6 and 0chamel 6sic:

!erson96 #he aentive !re"i 04 trans"orms roots o" various t3!es into -ords that denote

!erson or livin thins9

`il/


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44 ther Possessi"e Co)pounds

+e have seen com!ounds li:e ti na 6entrance to the house6 and 0ol vitz 6mountainto!96

It is evident that these com!ounds are derived "rom !ossessive e!ressions that have

"rozen% o"ten ac


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Here -e are tal:in about a de"inite thin44-e are tal:in about his roo" in !articular44

and the !ossessive !re"i a!!ears e!licitl39 Similarl3% i" the second element o" a

com!ound receives a !ossessive !re"i% it loses the tiht4:nit relation bet-een !ossessed

and !ossessor% and the com!ound e!ression loses its interit39

Te ta sjol jna

li $un e.John is on the roo" o" the house9

&li tz;i e%

te ta ti na9

#he do is in the

entrance to the

house9`li tz'i` e/ te

ta sti` ana.

#he do is in the entrance to 3our

house9+i òy ìtaj2 &re there veetables`0y jol ìtaj. #here is cabbae9

8oòte/ mi òy

sjol avitaj2

&nd 3ou% do 3ou have cabbae('iterall3$ Does the head o" 3our

veetable eist)

#here are similar constructions in Enlish$

4uy li na ba e2 +here is the molehillba% 6mole6

67olehill6 is a com!ound -ord e


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a:;al% 6charcoal6

#he corres!ondin e!ressions based on consonant4initial roots omit the !ossessive

!re"i s4% as -e have seen9 +ith these vo-el4initial roots% i" the rammatical !ossessor

(the second element) carries an article or is !ossessed% there is no chane in the "irstelement9

`0y krus ta yok li muk'ta

vitz e.#here is a cross at the "oot o" the bi mountain9

`0y k'ok' ta yut li jna e. #here is "ire inside o" m3 house9

+i `oy yav avak'al2Do 3ou have an incensor3 ('iterall3$ Does the !lace o" 3our

charcoal eist)

,ote that in com!ound !ossessive e!ressions the 6true6 !ossessor is mar:ed b3 a

!re"i toether -ith the second element9

sjol jbi m3 last name (literall3$ the head o" m3 name)bi% 6name63av :abtel m3 -or:!lace (literall3$ the !lace o" m3 -or:)

yut amok 3our !atio (literall3$ the inside o" 3our "ence)sni` ak'ob 3our "iner (literall3$ the nose o" 3our hand)ni% 6nose% !oint6:;ob% 6hand6

4! Inaliena%le Possession

7an3 -ords% es!eciall3 names o" bod3 !arts and :inshi! terms% al-a3s occur -ith a

!ossessor9 In eneral% -e do not s!ea: o" a hand -ithout it bein someone;s hand$ a

"ather is someone;s "ather% etc9 In #zotzil% the inalienable character o" certain nouns has

a "ormal and rammatical re"le9 For eam!le% the root :;ob 6hand6 is never used in

isolation9 It either carries a !ossessive !re"i ("or eam!le% 0:;ob 6m3 hand6) or it

re


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+ith the ma0orit3 o" these -ords% the absolute su""i (o" inde"inite !ossession) is 4il% but

there are so man3 ece!tions that it -ill be !re"erable to indicate (and "or the students it

is necessa3 to memorize) the !articular su""i that accom!anies each inherentl3

!ossessed noun9 Here -e em!lo3 the notation introduced b3 Josh Smith (n9d9)$ a noun

-ith a h3!hen loses the absolute su""i u!on bein !ossessed$ "or eam!le% :;ob4ol

6hand96 *" the nouns -e alread3 :no-% the "ollo-in are o" the same t3!e$

Bo.( &art%

òk-ol% 6"oot6pat-il% 6bac:6ti`-il% 6mouth% entrance% side5 li!6ba-il% 6"orehead% "ace6

jol-ol% head6k'ob-ol% 6hand6

Other 4or.%

bi-il% 6name6àv-il% 6!lace% container% "oot!rint6ùt-il% 6inside6k'u`-ul% 6clothin% blouse% shirt6

5in%hip Term%

bankil-al% 6older brother (o" a man)6àjnil-al% 6-i"e6malal-il% 6husband6

#o reca!itulate% the !ossessed "orms o" these -ords carr3 !ossessive !re"ies (ece!t in

"ied com!ounds) -ithout the absolute su""i$

Y kok% 6m3 "oot6Y jba% 6m3 "ace6

Y jbi% 6m3 name6

Y ak'u`% 63our

clothes6

Y avajnil% 63our -i"e6

I" the3 are not used in a !ossessive construction% these roots should carr3 the indicated

absolute su""i9 Ho-ever% the use o" the so4called 6absolutes6 "orms is ver3 restricted9 It


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does not corres!ond to the Enlish usae o" non4!ossessed e


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ta jol na on to! o" the houseta yut mok inside o" the house% on the !atiota yolon jtembeneath m3 bedta yak'ol ana above% on to! o" 3our house

&nother eam!le% -hich Josh Smith mentions in his descri!tion o" #zeltal% is the use o"

bod3 !art terms9 For eam!le% !erson -ho s!ea:s #zotzil -ill o""er as the translation o"

the -ord 6hand6 not the 6absolute6 "orm o" the su""i4a "orm that% as -e have alread3

seen% has a restricted and s!ecial usae4but instead the !ossessed "orm 0:;obti:% -hich

means 6our hands96 #his -ord suests that hands are thins inherentl3 !ossessed%

-hich -e all have9

.ertain roots that -e -rite -ith a h3!hen sho- more com!leities9 For eam!le% ti4ilives the e!ected "orms$

ti` na entrance to the houseti` be lare door% entrance to the road

sti` l ana e the entrance to 3our housejti` m3 mouth% m3 li!stiìl entrance% side% mouth (absolute "orm)

Cut additional "orms also eist$

tiìl be the side o" the roadstiìl jbe the side o" m3 road (-here I -al:)

#his latter "orm contrasts -ith$

sti` jbethe entrance to m3 road (in other -ords% the turn -here the road leaves "or the

house)

#hus% there is a "orm o" the su""i% tiil% obviousl3 related to the basic root% but this "orm

-ith a su""i can also carr3 !ossessive !re"ies% -ith an etended meanin9

Provisionall3% -e can re!resent these -ords this -a3$

ti`-il% 6mouth% entrance6tiìl% 6side6 (-ithout a h3!hen)

*ther -ords sho- similar com!leities9 #he -ord ut4il 6inside6 ives the e!ect "orms$

3ut 6inside o" %6 :ut 6m3 inside%6 util 6inside (absolute "orm)96 Cut the "ollo-in"orms also occur$


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ta yutil yo`on heart"elt (literall3$ in the center o" his heart)ta yutil in the center (o" a !o!ulation)

#hat is to sa3% there is another stem ("rom the same root ut4il) o" the "orm util (-ithout

the h3!hen) -ith the meanin 6center96 Ho-ever% this stem has ver3 limited usaes9From the root av 6!lace6 there are the "orms av4il 6!lace6 and avil (-ithout a h3!hen)

6oriin96 #hus -e have$

yav li $un e the seat (!lace) o" Johnyav li `ixim e the !lace o" cornta yavil in its oriinal or !ermanent !lace

In the "ollo-in !aes -e -ill delve more dee!l3 into the com!leit3 o" #zotzil;s

!ossessive s3stem9

Chapter 6:

Stati)e Sentence%

,.0 Stati"e Sentences

&ntz li 'oa e9 Rose is a -oman9

#zeb to li Petu e9 PetuA is still 3oun (airl)9

7i :rem to li .he! e% mi vini:

a 7i o3 a 3a0nil9Is Jose!h still a bo3% or is he a

man alread3

Does he have a -i"e 3et

6Stative6 sentences are sentences that attribute a


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Predicate Sub0ect(noun or ad0ective)

#he !redicate% -hich can be a noun or an ad0ective% ordinaril3 !recedes the sub0ect9

E! li abtel e9 #he -or: is numerous (i9e9%

there is a lot o" -or:)9e!% 6much% a lot67u:; li na e9 #he house is bi9mu:;% 6bi67i le: li ita0 e &re the veetables oodle:% 6ood67i bi:;it to li tzeb e Is the irl still little

bi:;it% 6small% little6

&s in locative sentence or sentences indicatin eistence% the interroative !article mi

!recedes the !redicate in


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(dee!)9nat% 6lon% dee!6ch;en% 6cave% cavern%

!reci!ice6

.hi li :a0ve e9 .o""ee is s-eet9chi% 6s-eet6:a0ve(l)% 6co""ee6

It is "airl3 common "or a !ossessed noun to serve as the sub0ect o" a stative sentence%

o"ten -ithout an e!licit article (but no less de"inite as a result)9

7i i! to ava0nil7i i! to l ava0nil e Is 3our -i"e still sic:

i!% 6sic:6Sa: a a0ol9Sa: a l a0ol e9 &re 3ou -hite4haired alread3sa:% 6-hite6

& locative !hrase -ith ta can also delimit the !redicate or the sub0ect o" a stative

sentence9

Sa: ta util li 0:;u e9 73 clothes are clean inside9Sa: ta 3ut li 0:;u e9 #he inside o" m3 clothes are

clean97u:; li 0na ta a:;ol e9 73 house u! above is bi9

In the "irst eam!le% ta util "unctions as the adverb 6inside%6 modi"3in the !redicate

sa: 6-hite96 In the latter eam!le% ta a:;ol "unctions as a (restrictive) relative clause%

modi"3in the sub0ect$ m3 house8-hich is u! above8is bi9 In the second eam!le% the

!hrase li 0:;u e 6m3 ro!e6 "unctions as the sub0ect o" the !redicate sa: and as the

!ossessor o" ut 6inside96 #he sentence means% literall3$ 673 clothin is -hite in its

interior96 I -ill ive a "e- other eam!les o" this !rocess$

#zotz i! ta 0me: li unen e9 #he child is seriousl3 ill9unen% 6child6ta 0me:% 6ver36 ('iterall3$ 6one

time%

once6)

7as le: li :;in ta enero9 #he !art3 in Januar3 is

better9

mas% 6more6


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+ords li:e mas 6more%6 tzotz 6stron%6 le: 6-ell%6 and 0utu: 6a little6 can modi"3 nouns

and !redicative ad0ectives9 .om!arison is o"ten e!ressed throuh a structure o" this

t3!e$

7as nat li Uun e% mas :om:om li

3itz;in e9John is taller than his little

brother9 ('iterall3$

John is taller% and his

brother is shorter9)itz;in4al% 63ouner brother6:om:om% 6short% scra-n36

,ote also that tem!oral !articles can "ollo- the !redicate or the modi"ier9

#zotz to o i! vol0e li unen e9#zotz i! to o vol0e li unen e9 #he child -as still ver3 sic:

3esterda39vol0e% 63esterda36Jutu: a :;u li 00ol e9 73 head hurts less alread39:;u% 6!ain"ul6'e: o mu:; ta 0un3o li 0chob e9 73 corn"ield -ill alread3 be

!rett3 bi in June9

&nother -ord that can modi"3 a stative !redicate is batz;i 6true% trul3%6 althouh this

-ord has di""erent characteristics9 Catz;i cannot be a !redicate5 it "unctions onl3 in

con0unction -ith a noun or an ad0ective9

Catz;i le: l avabtel e9 our -or: is reall3 ood9Catz;i 0a:;4chamel li mol e9 #he old man is a real

-itch90a:;4chamel% 6-itch6 (literall3$

one

-ho ives illness)

Particles cannot se!arate batz;i "rom the !redicate it modi"ies9

Catz;i i! a li 0tot e9 73 "ather is alread3 ver3 sic:9

#he -ord batz;i can also directl3 modi"3 a noun that is not in !redicate !osition8that is%

the sub0ect o" a sentence or the ob0ect o" the !re!osition ta9

'e: li batz;i vob e9 #he true musician is ood9


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.om!arative data "rom #zeltal and other dialects o" #zotzil suest that the so4called

!ronouns o" the "irst and second !erson are in realit3 based on the root 0a9

7uch;u li e 7i voot +ho is here Is it 3ou

1oon9 It is me9

Furthermore% other% more com!le stative sentence use the !article 0a "or the sa:e o"

em!hasis9

7i 0a aban:il li Petul e Is it Peter that is 3our

older brotherJa9 Ja 0ban:il9 es% that;s him9 He is m3

older brother9&li 7ar3an e% chee9 &nd 7arean% -ellJa ono 0ban:il noto:9 He is also m3 older

brother9chee% 6-ell6 (it oes at the end

o" a

sentence)

ono% 6an3-a3% al-a3s6noto:% 6also% aain6

#hese !articles have di""erent characteristics9 *no !ertains to the rou! o" tem!oral

!articles9 It "ollo-s the "irst -ord o" the !redicate% and also "ollo-s a and to i" these

occur in the same sentence9 .hee 6-ell6 al-a3s ends a sentence% sometimes re!lacin

the "inal enclitic 4e9 ,oto: can move liberall3 in the sentence% more or less li:e

locative !hrases -ith ta9

#zotz li Uun e% !ero 0a a ono mas

tzotzil li 3itz;in e9

John is stron% but his brother is even

stroner9

7i le: li ta0imol e Is the ame oodta0imol% 6ame6'e:% chee9 +ell% 3es9

Ever3 nominal !redicate has% in its basic "orm% the em!hatic !article 0a -hich can

disa!!ear in a non4em!hatic sentence8a situation similar to that -ith te in locative

!hrase or ta in tem!oral !hrases9 (For eam!le% te ta Jobel 6there in San .ristobal6)9


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,.1 Sentences of Existence and !ocati"es -sed as Stati"e

Sentences

Sentences that assert the eistence o" somethin have the eneral "orm$

*3 U9(-here U re!resents the

sub0ect9)

Sentences that indicate the location o" a s!eci"ic thin have the eneral "orm$

#e ta li U e9

( re!resents the location% and U the sub0ect9)

& combined "orm% that can be seen in sentence li:e

#e (o3) sna ta a:;ol9 His house is house u! there9

asserts the eistence% the o-nershi!% and location o" somethin9 #he eneral "orm is$

#e (o3) U ta

+e can see that sentence o" this "orm are% basicall3% stative sentences% made u! o" a

!redicate P and a sub0ect S9 #hese sentences means 6S is P96 In sentences that indicate

eistence% the !redicate is o38a noun -ith the meanin 6somethin eists68and the

sub0ect is an inde"inite noun$

*3 vo9 +ater eists9 #here is -ater9*3 0na9 73 house eists9 I have a

house9

'ocative sentences use the !redicate te% -hich is a noun -ith the a!!roimate sense$

6eistin in such a !lace68in other -ords% te is the reduced "orm o" a locative !hrase

-ith ta9 In e""ect% one can consider that there are locative !redicates o" the "orm$

te ta U


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"rom -hich te can disa!!ear -hen it does not serve as !redicate o" the entire sentence

(that is to sa3% -hen the construction -ith ta is onl3 the locative !hrase in the sentence

and not the !redicate) (?)9

*3 :;in (te) ta Jobel9 #here is a !art3 in San

.ristobal9#e3 ta Jobel li :;in e9 #he !art3 is in San .ristobal9

In eneral% sub0ects o" locative sentences are de"inite% ta:in the article li% and come at

the end o" sentences9

Sentences -ith locative !redicates but inde"inite sub0ects have a meanin that is as

much eistential as it is locative9 &ccordin to the normal !attern% the inde"inite sub0ect!recedes the locative !hrase -ith ta9

#e vo ta olon osil9 #here is -ater (i9e9% rain) in the

lo-lands9

#his sentences a!!ears to be e


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T;un to9 (,o)% it is still liht9

& neative res!onse to the second


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#e (o3)9 He is there9*3 (te)9 #here is over there9

*3 also a!!ears toether -ith certain ad0ectives9

'e: to li 0:umale9'e: to o3 li 0:umale9 73 od"ather is still -ell9

#he onl3 di""erence I can "ind bet-een these sentences is this$ the !redicate -ithout o3

em!hasizes the condition or


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eam!le% he miht still be a

bo3)97au: vini: li Petul e9 It isn;t Peter -ho is a man (but

rather Jose!h)9

In the "irst sentence% the neative !article mu and the neative su""i 4u: 0oin -ith the

!redicate vini:9 In the second% the -ord mau: 6it is not him% it is not this6 a!!ears9

#here are also neative "orms -ith the !article bu% -hich absorbs the neative su""i9

7u:; bu vini: li Petul e9 Peter is not a man97u to bu vini: li Petul e9 Peter is still not a man9

('iterall3$ #here is still not a

timeN!lace in -hich Peter is aman9)

#he contrast bet-een the neative "orms can also be seen in !redicate nominative

sentences% in -hich the !redicate notes a social !osition or o""ice9

7u a bu !reserente li Uun e9 John is not the !resident97au: a !reserente li Uun e9 It is not John -ho is !resident9

Similarl3% there are various neative "orms o" the sentence

'e: li 0chob e9 73 corn"ield is ood9

I -ill !resent a "e- more neative "orms$

7u le: u: li 0chob e97u:; bu le: li 0chob e9 73 corn"ield isn;t ood (i9e9% it

is bad)9

7au: le: li 0chob e9 73 corn"ield isn;t ood

(althouh 3ours is)9

Sometimes the "ollo-in "orm also occurs$

7uu: le: li 0chobe9 73 corn"ield isn;t ood9

('iterall3$ I don;t have a

corn"ield that is ood9)

-hich a!!ears to be derived "rom a sentence indicative o" eistence li:e


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'e: o3 li 0chob e9 #he corn"ield that I have is

ood9

#he "ollo-in sentences oriinate "rom the same source$

.h;abal N mu3u: bu le: li

0chob e9

,o !art o" m3 corn"ield is

ood9

In eneral% neative sentences -ith mau: di""er "rom sentences -ith mu L 4u: or

mu3u: or mu:;9

7au: o3 vo ta Jobel% 0a o3

bot9

It isn;t rainin in San .ristobal5 its

hailin97au: i! li .he! e% 0a i! li

ch;amal e9

John isn;t sic:5 his sister is9

7au: o3 3iim li .he! e% 0a

o3 aviim9

It isn;t Jose!h -ho has corn% but rather

3ou97u3u: vo ta Jobel9 It doesn;t rain (it isn;t rainin)

in San .ristZbal97u:; bu i! li .he! e9 Jose!h isn;t sic:9.h;abal 3iim li .he! e9 Jose!h doesn;t have corn9

Demonstratives li:e li 6here%6 le 6there%6 and ta0 6that6 can serve as the sub0ects o"

stative sentences9

*l li e9 #his is heav39ol% 6heav36#on ta0 e9 #hat is a stone97u le: u: lee9 #hat isn;t ood9

#his sort o" demonstrative sub0ect does not carr3 the de"inite article li% althouh it

combines -ith the "inal enclitic 4e9

,o- -e -ill consider


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#he interroative roots much;u 6-ho6 and :;usi 6-hat6 are used as !redicates% as in the

"ollo-in eam!les$

7uch;u ta0 e +ho is that

T;usi li e +hat is this

*ther


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'i:es other sentences -ith inde"inite sub0ects% these eam!les


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Predicate L Sub0ect

,ot onl3 nouns% but also 6!ronouns6 o" the "irst and second !erson% can occu!3 the

sub0ect !osition9 #he "irst !erson6 denotes the !erson -ho is s!ea:in% 6I%6 and 6the

second !erson6 denotes the !erson -ho is bein s!o:en to% 63ou96 #he !redicate o" astative sentence should carr3 a su""i that corres!onds to the sub0ect9 #he su""ies are

the "ollo-in$

1ini:4 on9 I am a man91ini:4 ot9 ou are a man91ini:9 He is a man9

*ne can see that a noun sub0ect (the so4called 6third !erson6) enenders a null su""i9

&lso note that an e!licit sub0ect is not necessar3% because the su""i (althouh it is

null)% toether -ith the !redicate% indicates the im!licit sub0ect9 Ho-ever% an e!licit

noun or a !ronoun such as voon or voot can be used "or em!hasis or reater clarit39

7i :uulot to &re 3ou still sober ('iterall3$ &re 3ou

still alive):uul% 6alive% sober6Tuulon to li voon aa9 &li voot e I am still sober9 &nd 3ou

&li voon e% :uulon u:9 I am also sober9u:% 6also6

,ote that the !ronominal sub0ect can be "ronted9

#he -ord u: 6also% e


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& l ava0nil e% mi i! to&li voot e% mi i!ot to &re 3ou still sic:I! li 00ol e9&li voon e% i! li 00ol

e9

I have a head cold9

('iterall3$ &s "or me%m3

head is sic:9)

In the last eam!le% the rammatical !ossessor has been "ronted% but the rammatical

sub0ect is a noun (li 00ol e 6m3 head6) that% as a result% enenders a null su""i on the

!redicate i! 6sic:96

#zotz a i! li unen e9 #he child is still violentl3 ill9#zotz a i!on (li voon e)9 I am alread3 violentl3 ill9

1oot e% mas natot9 1oon e% mas

:om:omon9ou are taller% and I am shorter9Catz;i 0a:;4chamelot9 ou are a true -itch9Catz;i tzotzon a9 I am alread3 reall3 stron9

*ne can see ho- the 6!ronouns6 themselves% voon 6I6 and voot 63ou%6 carr3 the

a!!ro!riate absolutive su""ies9 I alread3 mentioned that the root o" these -ords% vo4% is

related to 0a9 (Coth roots have the h3!othetical "orm$ H&9) #he relationshi! can still be

seen in sentences li:e the "ollo-in$

7i 0a ban:ilal li .he! e Is Jose!h olderJa (li .he! e)9 es% he is9

7i voot ban:ilalot &re 3ou older1oon9 es% I am9

#hese sentences -ith 0a are "ocused on the identit3 o" the !erson -ho is older% -hile

sentences -ithout 0a re"er to the


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.he! e+ho is the musician Is it

Jose!hJa9 es% (it is him)9

7uch;u li 0ilol e 7i voot +ho is the curer Is it

3ou1oon9 It;s me9K

+e have seen that the sub0ect o" a sentence can be "ronted "or em!hasis9 & de"inite

noun% -ith an demonstrative article% attracts the initial !article a4 -hen "ronted9

Jilol li Uun e9 John is a curer9

&li Uun e% 0ilol9 &s "or John% he is a curer9

&s Josh Smith has suested% based on #zeltal% it seems li:el3 that the initial !article a4

is a reduced "orm o" 0a% -hich serves to call attention to the "ronted sub0ect9 Here I -ill

!resent some #zotzil sentences% -ith their #zeltal e


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+hen the !redicate o" a sentence is an ad0ective that can accom!an3 ot% the !osition o"

the absolutive su""ies de!ends on the !resence or absence o" o39

'e: li Uun e9 John is ood (!ermanent state)9

'e: o3 li Uun e9 John is -ell (transitive state)9'e:on9 I am ood (!ermanent state)9'e: o3on9 I am -ell (transitive state)9

,ot all ad0ectives can accom!a3 the !redicate o3 (-hich a!!ears to contribute a sense

o" transience to the !redicate)9 +ithout the -ord o3 the su""ies directl3 combine -ith

the ad0ectives9

.ha!al ta :asti3a li

Romin e9

Domino s!ea:s

S!anish9:asti3a% 6S!anish6.ha!alon ta :asti3a9 I s!ea: S!anish9

('iterall3$ I am read3

"or

S!anish9)

#o neate a sentence -ith a "irst or second !erson sub0ect% it is ver3 eas3 to em!lo3 the

neative "orms -ith mu:; bu% mu to bu% mu a bu% etc9% -ithout an e!licit neative

su""i9

7i cha!alot a &re 3ou read3 3et7u to bu cha!alon9 I am still read397u3u: to9 ,ot 3et9Tremon to9 I am still a bo39Ii9 7u a bu :remot9 7olot a9 ,o% 3ou aren;t a bo39 ou;re

old alread39ii% 6noQ6

#he -ord mol can be a noun% 6an old man%6 0ust as easil3 as an ad0ective 6old% bi96

7ol li te e9 #he tree is bi9Tuul to li mol e9 #he old man is still alive9

7i mu:; bu 0vaba0omot &ren;t 3ou a musicianJvaba0omon aa9 es% I am9


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+hen directl3 neatin a !redicate -ith absolutive su""ies% one must use an additional

neative su""i that combines -ith the absolutive su""i9 +e have alread3 seen that the

neative su""i is 4u: -hen there is no absolutive su""i (-ith third !erson sub0ects)9

7i !;i0 li 0:alan e Is the ladino intellient7u !;i0 u:9 He is not intellient97i e! l aviim e Do 3ou have much corn7u e! u:9 ,o9

+ith other !ersons% the neative !redicate ac


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I!ot vol0e9 ou -ere sic: 3esterda397au: voon9 7u vooni:on9

Ja i! :itz;in9

I -asn;t sic:9 It -asn;t me -ho -as

sic:9 It -as m3 3ouner brother9

&bsolutive su""ies combine directl3 -ith interroative !redicates9

Cu3 li Uun e +here is JohnCu3ot +here are 3ou

Cu3on samel +here -as I last niht#e3ot ta :antina9 J3a:ubelot9 ou -ere at the bar% and 3ou

-ere drun:903a:ubel% 6a drun:ard6

Furthermore% it is !ossible to as:$

7uch;uot

+ho are 3ou

or$

T;usiot ono 7i tz;iot

+hat are 3ou &re 3ou a do

Chapter 7: !ntran%iti)e +erb%

# Intransiti"e $er%s

#he :inds o" sentences that -e have seen so "ar are com!rised o" a !redicate (-hich can

indicate eistence% location% or a state) and a sub0ect% -hich can either be a noun

(!ossibl3 !ossessed) or a !ronoun (-hich re!resents either the s!ea:er446I644or the

hearer4463ou6)9 #he3 are all o" the "ollo-in "orm$


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Predicate Sub0ect

+e have also seen that the !redicate o" ever3 !reviousl3 mentioned sentence carries an

absolutive su""i (althouh it can be null)% -hich arees -ith the sub0ect in terms o"

!erson9

I,SER# DI&GR&7

Intransitive verbs also a!!ear in com!ound sentences -ith a !redicate and a sub0ect9

&s !redicates% intransitive verbs also carr3 absolutive a""ies that corres!ond to the

sub0ects o" the sentences9 Intransitive verbs include three classes$ ,eutral 1erbs% &ctive

1erbs% and% in 7a3an lanuaes% Positional verbs9

?9 ,eutral 1erbs (+hat ha!!ened He "ell9)

29 &ctive 1erbs (+hat did he do He -or:ed9)

9 Positional verbs (+hat !osition or "orm is he in He is seated9)9

In eneral% intransitive verbs in #zotzil can be reconized b3 the a""ies -ith -hich the3

combine9

#1 Stati"e +or)s of Intransiti"e $er%s

4atem ta %obel li $un e. John has one to San .ristZbal9bat% 6to o6

5'ajem ta lum li k'uùl e. #he clothin has "allen to the round9p'aj-% 6to "all6

Èch'em ta chan-vun li tzeb e. #he irl has !assed throuh school (in

other -ords% she has studied)9èch'-% 6to !ass6chan-vun% 6school% to stud36 (literall3$

6to learn !a!er6)vun% 6!a!er6

hamem xa li jtot e. 73 "ather has alread3 died9cham-% 6to die6

:omem ta na li jluk e. 73 sic:le is in the house ('iterall3$ It

remains in the house)9kom-% 6to remain6

3ubem li jàbtel e. #he -or:er has otten tired9lub-% 6to tire% to et tired6

:'ak'em xa li k'ajben e. #he stubble has burned alread39


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k'ak'-% 6to burn6:;a0ben% 6stubble6Sutem a 3a0nil9 His -i"e has alread3 returned9sut4% 6to return6

& stative verb stem is "ormed "rom the root o" an intransitive verb9 (&ccordin to the

notation introduced b3 Josh Smith% I -ill -rite intransitive verb roots -ith a h3!hen at

the end$ e99% bat4 6o96) #he best translation o" this "orm o" the verb is the 6(!resent)

!er"ect6$

Catem9 He has one9

Cut the meanin o" this "

a tzotil grammar

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