Yielding-the-floor response Ex. 1 –4 Pronunciation and Intonation

8.4 Grammar: Location 87 Exercise 2 . Pronunciation drill Mimic the teacher in Dialogue 8.1, formulating the individual sounds as closely as possible without 1 slowing down, or 2 losing the intonation pattern. Exercise 3 . Dialogue drill Dramatize Dialogue 8.1 with two students playing the roles. The teacher should check for 1 correct intonation patterns, 2 correct pronunciation, and 3 Kuna-like gestures. Exercise 4 . Problem drill Drill the problem sentences, sounds, and gestures encountered in Exercise 3 above.

8.3 Culture

You already know how important it is to exchange greetings when you encounter a Kuna in or around the village. Failure to greet people you pass in a Kuna village in the Darién indicates lack of acceptance or displeasure. You will certainly experience times, however, when you will want to do more than just greet the person. Perhaps you will wish to establish an acquaintance or start a conversation. In such situations the use of questions is very helpful. Questions concerning the person ‘s family Are you married? Do you have brotherssisters? Do you have children? are acceptable. Questions concerning birthplace, what he is doing, where he is going or where he lives are also acceptable and are very good conversation openers. You must be careful to avoid certain areas of conversation which a person would find threatening to his people or himself. For instance, detailed questioning about tribal ceremonies and customs should be withheld until you are sure you have established mutual respect with the person.

8.4 Grammar: Location

Every event or object can be described as being located in a certain place. A person may speak of an object as being in a general area, such as, ―in the woods‖, or he may speak of the object as being in a specific area in the woods such as, ―under the tree in the big woods‖. Whether the person chooses to speak of the general location broad setting or the specific location narrow setting is dependent on how the speaker views the object speak er‘s viewpoint or what he thinks the listener needs to know about the object.

8.4.1 Locative suffixes Ex. 5 –7

This distinction between broad and narrow settings in Kuna is a very important one because a different suffix is used with the noun. For a broad setting, -bal-pal is attached to the noun; for a narrow setting, -gin-kin occurs.

8.4.1.1 Broad setting

The general area in which an action takes place is called the broad setting. For example, a person may say he left a deer in the forest. He does not specify exactly where in the forest the deer was left, but refers to the general broad setting, the forest. A broad setting in Kuna is indicated by adding the suffix -bal-pal to the word which refers to location. Examples 1. Sagla koe chapurbal ebes. ‗The chief left the deer in the forest.‘

2. Tibal nad.

‗He went to the general area of the river.‘

8.4.1.2 Narrow setting

A specific area within a larger broad setting is called the narrow setting. With reference to the example of the man who left a deer in the forest, the man could have said he left the deer under the cedar tree in the forest. The cedar tree is the narrow, specific setting within the broad setting. A narrow setting in Kuna is indicated by adding -gin-kin to the word which refers to location. 88 Conversational Pointers Example Nan neggin chi. ‗Mother is at the house.‘ From the viewpoint of the speaker, the house is a specific area within the broad setting of the village. Exercise 5 . Location broad setting frame drill The teacher says Sentence 1 and the student repeats it; the teacher says Sentence 2 and the student repeats it, etc. This exercise should be repeated several times. Examples Teacher: Machi yannu chapurbal ebes. Student: Machi yannu chapurbal ebes. Teacher: Machi yannu igalbal ebes. Student: Machi yannu igalbal ebes. 1. Machi yannu chapurbal ebes. ‗The boy left the peccary in the jungle.‘ 2. Machi yannu igalbal ebes. ‗The boy left the peccary on the trail.‘ 3. Machi yannu tuppal ebes. ‗The boy left the peccary on the peninsula.‘ 4. Machi yannu kullubal ebes. ‗The boy left the peccary on the bank.‘ Exercise 6 . Narrow setting location frame drill The teacher says Sentence 1 and the student repeats it; the teacher says Sentence 2 and the student repeats it, etc. This exercise should be repeated several times. Examples Teacher: Machi eswal neggin ebes. Student: Machi eswal neggin ebes. Teacher: Machi eswal akwagin ebes. Student: Machi eswal akwagin ebes. 1. Machi eswal neggin ebes. ‗The boy left his fishing spear at home‘ 2. Machi eswal akwagin ebes. ‗The boy left his fishing spear on the stone.‘ 3. Machi eswal ulgin ebes. ‗The boy left his fishing spear in the canoe.‘ 4. Machi eswal mesagin ebes. ‗The boy left his fishing spear on the table.‘ 5. Machi eswal kukualedgin ebes. ‗The boy left his fishing spear in the airplane.‘ 8.4.1.3 Distinction of -bal-pal versus -gin-kin In many cases, the choice of -bal-pal versus -gin-kin depends upon the viewpoint of the speaker in a particular situation. For example, if the speaker is talking about the chief being in Panama and the viewpoint of the speaker is that the chief is somewhere in the broad setting of Panama, -bal-pal will be used. Example Sagla Panamabal mai. ‗The chief is somewhere in Panama.‘ If, however, the viewpoint of the speaker is that the chief is in Panama as opposed to Colón or some other town in the Republic of Panama i.e., he is pinpointing a location in the Republic, the suffix -gin-kin is used. Example Sagla Panamagin mai. ‗The chief is at Panama.‘ Exercise 7 . Location viewpoint drill The student looks at the picture and says a phrase describing it. X is to be interpreted as a narrow setting and the wavy circle as a broad setting.