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Sye

Language
Sye

Family
Austronesian

Ethnologue
erg

ISO
erg

glottolog_id
siee1239

Verbs table

Verbs samesubject table

Sye notes

  • In the practical orthography employed by Crowley (1998), c = /ɣ/ and g = /ŋ/. The database uses these latter symbols.

  • Many verbs have two root forms, which Crowley (1998) calls 'basic' and 'modified'. Modified roots may involve simple prefixation of n-, or more complex and idiosyncratic changes (involving prefixation of a nasal, various assimilation processes, and further prefixation of a- on top of that, e.g. evsor → aemsor 'wake up' or oɣep → aŋɣep 'fly' (orthographically ocep → agcep). Which type a verb will belong to is in part phonologically determined:

    Verb initial segment alternaton type
    g, h, l, m, n, s, w, y, w non-alternating
    a, i, u or r, t simple n-prefixation
    p, m, v complex (‘strong verbs’)
    e, o either simple n-prefixation or complex

    The pattern of alternation is the same regardless of its realization. The database represents an alternating type ('laugh') and a non-alternating type ('ascend'). - Historically the distinction between basic and modified might have one of realis versus irrelalis, but if so, it is no longer the case (Crowley 1998: 80, fn 2). The pattern of alternation must be morphologically specified. - The same subject verb prefix displays allomorphy corresponding to the distinction between basic and modified root contexts, but is independent of any actual stem alternation. The same is presumably true of what Crowley terms the EM prefix (here 'prefix 2'), since they are nearly identical, but Crowley does not state so overtly. - The past habitual has two variants, with and without an EM prefix. The variant with it is more common, the one without is found with older speakers (Crowley 1998: 113).

References

Crowley, Terry. 1998.An Erromangan (Sye) Grammar. Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication 27.