“Almost, but not quite”

20.4 Grammar 283

20.4.10 Probabilitypossibility

Events, actions, and peoplethings may be described in terms of probabilities or possibilities. If an event is probably truegoing to happen, the suffix -chulchi-julchi ‗Is it not?‘ is added to the verb of the main sentence. Examples 1. ¿Pe nejulchi? ‗You are going, are you not?‘ 2. ¿Pabdin nadchulchi? ‗Father went, did he not?‘ When an action or noun phrase is described as a probability, the suffix -dewa-tewa 127 is added to the verb or noun phrase. Examples 1. ¿Pe anka immal chedodewa? ‗Will you probably bring something for me?‘ 2. An manigin uknedewa. ‗I‘m probably going to sell it for money.‘ 3. An mol pakne; kinniddewa. ‗I‘m going to buy cloth; probably red cloth.‘ If something is a possibility and by no means certain, the suffix -dowa-towa ‗possibly‘ is added to the appropriate verb or noun phrase. Examples 1. ¿Pe mol paknedowa? ‗Are you perhapspossibly going to buy blouses?‘ 2. An Pedro panamabal takodowa. ‗I will perhaps see Peter in Panama.‘ 3. An wichi toa sagla palmine; Pedrodowa. ‗I don‘t know whom the chief is going to send, Peter perhaps .‘ The suffix -wa is also added to question words to indicate possibility. Examples 1. ¿Pia? ‗Where?‘ 2. ¿Inkwa? ‗When?‘ 3. ¿Ibi? ‗What?‘ 4. ¿Piawa? ‗Where could it possibly be?‘ 5. ¿Inkwawa? ‗When could it possibly happen?‘ 6. ¿Ibiwa? ‗What‘s wrong? Lit.: What possibly?‘

20.4.11 Alternatives

The stating of alternatives in Kuna is complex: both of the alternatives are stated. Several ways are used to express alternatives.

20.4.11.1 Alternatives in postpredicate position

A main sentence, either a statement or question, which gives rise to the alternatives is stated with the probabilitypossibility suffix -dewa-tewa attached to the verb. The two alternatives with the suffix -dewa-tewa ‗perhaps‘ attached to each one, are stated in the postpredicate position. When the alternative is more remote the suffix -dowa-towa is used. Examples 1. Antin wichul inkwa tanidewa; pandewa o 128 achuldewa. ‗I do not know when he is coming perhaps; perhaps tomorrow or perhaps the day after tomorrow.‘ 127 The suffix -dibe-tibe ‗perhaps‘ is used rarely in the Paya Kuna dialect although it is common in the San Blas dialect. It is limited to already hypothetical situations. For example, ¿Ibi an immal kaotibe ye? ‗How could I perhaps catch something?‘ see 13 of Section 20.1. 128 The Spanish o ‗or‘ has been borrowed into the language and is used often between alternatives. 284 Classifications 2. An wichul; Pedro tanidowa o chuldowa. ‗I don‘t know; Peter is coming perhaps or not perhaps ‘

20.4.11.2 Chulil The adverb chulil

‗if not‘ may be used to express an alternative. In this case, two sentences are used; the first gives one alternative, the second begins with chulil and provides the other alternative. Example Sagla pan noniko. Chulil, achul. ‗The chief will arrive tomorrow. If not, then the day after tomorrow .‘

20.4.11.3 Alternative choice

When a speaker is deciding on a choice of two actions or people, the choice is indicated by two questions; the first poses the choice involved with or without -dewa-tewa, the second states the two alternatives each accompanied by -dewa-tewa ‗perhaps‘. Examples 1a. ¿Igi an chao? ‗What shall I do?‘ b. ¿An naodewa o chuldewa? ‗I should go perhaps or not perhaps?‘ 2a. ¿Toa an palminedewa? ‗Whom should I send perhaps?‘ b. ¿Pedrodewa o Pablodewa? ‗Peter perhaps or Paul perhaps?‘ 3a. ¿Mol igid an pako? ‗What color of cloth will I buy?‘ b. Antin mol kinnid paknedewa o mol kollogwaddewa. ‗I will buy red cloth perhaps or yellow perhaps.‘

20.4.12 Types of text

There are several types of text, each of which is used in a different setting and deals with different areas of types of speech.

20.4.12.1 Narrative text

A narrative text relates events and stories of everyday life.

20.4.12.2 Explanatory text

This type of text involves explanations and descriptions of situations or things. It is used to explain various aspects of the culture or tradition.

20.4.12.3 Argumentative text

This type of text differs from the explanatory text in that it portrays pros and cons, and there is an attempt to convince the audience of accepting what is being proposed.

20.4.12.4 Hortatory text

Hortatory texts are used in teaching and exhortation and not only involve the do ‘s and don‘ts of everyday life, but also talk about the consequences of actions, good and bad.

20.4.12.5 Procedural text

Procedural texts are step by step how-to-do-it instructions. Each type of text has its own characteristics. Recognizing the different types will help in separating the different ―rules‖ governing each type of text.