A bit more on -tu:
As we discussed, when -tu is attached to a verb, it sometimes indicates the person who is the object of the verb (like spe’etu and kiantu) and sometimes the subject (like snaytu and yora’tu). It may seem strange and unnatural that the same suffix can have two different and opposite functions. But in fact this kind of thing occurs in Earth languages as well—for example, in English!
Think of the words for people that end in stressed –ee. (There are a lot more of them than I would have thought! This paper lists 520 such forms, most of which were entirely new to me.) Here are some examples:
They employed her. She is an employee.
They appointed him. He is an appointee.
I tutor her. She is my tutee.
We nominated him. He is our nominee.
And many more.
Notice that these –ee words all refer to the object of the relevant verb.
But now take a look at these words:
He returned to his homeland. He is a returnee.
She stood at the concert. She was a standee.
He escaped from prison. He is an escapee.
She retired from work last year. She is a retiree.
These refer to the subject of the verb!
Eltxur tìtxen si, kefyak? 🙂
Kxì nìmun!
thanks for that follow-up post, it was really interesting. I never realized that english has more of those words, I think “employee” is the only one I’ve ever used hrh
Also thanks for your reply at my last comment! I really like the explanation you gave there, but since you wrote that you first have to examine that a bit further I guess this explanation is not “official” at the moment kefyak?
-ta Merve
Kxì, ma Tekre. Yes, I want to think about the possibility I mentioned a bit further, so let’s hold off on declaring it “official” until I can examine more cases.
Nìpxi, tsasäomumìri eltur tìtxen si nìngay. ’A’awa lì’u li smolon oer slä pxaya lì’u fìtxan srak? Ke olomum. 🙂 ’Uori amip fko nume fratrr.
Oeri eltur tìtxen si nìteng! Hufwa lu ’Ìnglìsì oey lì’fya a’awve, ke omum oel vay set futa lu hu tsauolì’uvi alu “ee” a aylì’u apxay fìtxan mì saw!
’Ul rey, ’ul nume, kefyak? 🙂
Lì’fyavi alu ’ul rey, ’ul nume txasunu oer 🙂
Sran, lu ngay!
Tewti! Fula tsun tsive’a set faysäomumit sì aylì’ut amip ta fìpostì sì pum aham, mawfwa mìso tolok, oeti ‘eykefu nitram nìtxan nang! Tìloho akosman a lu lawnol. Irayo seiyi, ma Karyu!