Imperatives using -comun ‘indeed’‘please’ Expressing immediate action in imperatives

101 a. ¡Jiri-hi jo -xanh-pu b. ¡Jiri-hi vu -xanh-can-pu eat -INF come-IMP -M.VOC eat -INF come.PL-IMP -PL -M.VOC ‘Come to eat’ ‘You all come to eat’ 102 ¡Maninha ravuu hiya hinan-xan, chipi banana two me give- IMP daughteryounger.sister ‘My daughter, give me two bananas’ 103 ¡Canon mapoqui vo -xanh-tan -can-pu, roho ha -xanhni now down.river go.PL-IMP -ahead-PL-M.VOC howler.monkeys dokill-PURPSSITR ‘You all go ahead now down-river in order to kill the howler monkeys.’

4.3.4 Imperatives expressing encouragement

In order to encourage the addressee, the speaker can begin the command with the ti ‘encouragement’ and finish the command as usual with the male or female vocative. The plural is formed as above, using -can ‘plural’. This command is softer than the first two. As the former ones, it can be used with transitive or intransitive verbs. On occasion -xan-xanh ‘imperative’ is also employed in these constructions. 104 a. ¡Ti jo b. ¡Ti vu -can ENCOUR come ENCOUR come.PL-PL ‘Why don’t you come.’ ‘Why don’t you all come.’ 105 a. ¡Ti ca-tan b. ¡Ti vo-tan-can -pu ENCOUR go-ahead ENCOUR go-PL -ahead-M.VOC ‘Why don’t you go ahead.’ ‘Why don’t you all go ahead.’ 106 a. ¡Ti canon co-ho -pu b. ¡Canon ti vo -can-pu ENCOUR now go-REFL-M.VOC now ENCOUR go.PL-PL -M.VOC ‘Why don’t you go now.’ ‘Why don’t you all go now.’ 107 ¡Ti nonti -n nanu-xan 108 ¡Ti hiya yono-xon -xan ENCOUR canoe-LOC enter-IMP ENCOUR me work-BENEF-IMP ‘Why don’t you enter the canoe.’ ‘Why don’t you work for me.’ or ‘Come on enter the canoe’ or ‘Come on work for me

4.3.5 Imperatives using -comun ‘indeed’‘please’

The speaker can soften a command into a request or even an invitation by using the clitic -comun ‘indeed’’please’, which generally precedes the verb expressing the command. It can be attached to such word classes as adverbs, verbs, nouns, or pronouns. The clitic appears to be used above all in imperative constructions. On occasion it also expresses slight impatience on the part of the speaker. 109 ¡Canon-comun ca-tan -pu 110 ¡Jiri-comun vu -can-pu now -indeed go-ahead-M.VOC eat -indeed come.PL-PL -M.VOC ‘¡Please go ahead now’ ‘Please you all come to eat’ 111 ¡Hiya vacohma vi -xon -comun ca-tan -pu, mai me water get-BENEF-indeed go-ahead-M.VOC ATTN.GETTER ‘Hey, go ahead indeed and get water for me’ 112 ¡Coshi-comun ca-tan -u, chipi, hiya vacohma vi -xon -xanhni quick -indeed go-ahead-F.VOC daughter me water get-BENEF-PURPSSITR ‘Please go ahead quickly, my daughter, to get water for me’ 113 ¡Min vacu-comun chitu -sharaa-tan, nohin -miz your child-indeed take.care.of-well -ahead parasite-possibly ‘Indeed go ahead and take good care of your child, it could get infected with parasites’ 114 ¡Mishqui-mishqui-quin -comun hiya jano-riviz mishqui-ti fish -fish -SQSSTR-indeed me here-again fish -NOMINAL vu -xon -tan -pu, chami bring-BENEF-ahead-M.VOC son ‘Son, after fishing for awhile please return lit.: ‘bring again’ the fish hooks to me’ 115 ¡Ti -comun jiz -tan -xan ENCOUR-indeed go.see-ahead-IMP ‘Indeed go ahead any time soon to see what is going on’

4.3.6 Expressing immediate action in imperatives

A command expressing urgency can be given by employing -yo-yoo ‘immediate action’. This morpheme slightly affects the severity of the command in that it demands the action to be performed right away i.e. the action should be the next one in line. 116 ¡Hiin-yo -tan -pu see -IMM.ACN-ahead-M.VOC ‘Go ahead immediately to see’ 117 ¡Hiya xuqui vi -xon -yoo -u, chipi me corn get-BENEF-IMM.ACN-F.VOC daughter ‘My daughter, get some corn for me immediately’ 118 ¡Canon-comun vu -yoo -can-pu, mai now -indeed come.PL -IMM.ACN -PL -M.VOC ATTN.GETTER ‘Hey, please come immediately you guys’ Lit: ‘Now indeed come immediately…,hey’ 119 ¡Chipi -n caro pima-non -comun caro younger.sister-ERG fire.wood light-PURPDS -indeed fire.wood xatu-yo -pu, chami cut -IMM.ACN-M.VOC younger.brother ‘Indeed cut some firewood immediately, younger brother, so that younger sister can light the fire’ 120 ¡Moha -mun yamuu-hax -qui -hnu. ¡Hunaa jo -catzi-comun now -TH dark -PAST.PF.PRES.RELEV-ACT -DECL again come-soon-indeed ca-yoo -tan -xan-pu go-IMM.ACN -ahead-IMP-M.VOC ‘It has gotten dark now. To indeed come again soon, go ahead immediately.’

4.3.7 Putting emphasis on the importance of a request