Common adverbs Xa- and elaborated adverbs

8.4.1 Common adverbs

Common adverbs generally have three or four syllables evidencing reduplication and blending of syllables. This latter can result in rising or falling contour tones, which is atypical of Lalo tonality Björverud 1998:70. The relatively few mono- and disyllabic adverbs are among the most commonly used in the language, for example, ‘only’, ‘anything’, ‘together’, ‘just’, ‘quickly’, ‘the more’, ‘really’, ‘a little’, and ‘much’ Björverud 1998:70.

8.4.2 Xa- and elaborated adverbs

One frequent and productive source of adverbs is prefixation with the syllable xa- and reduplication of the second syllable of the root word, which is often an adjective and occasionally a verb. Such “xa- adverbs” are adverbs of result. “Xa-adverbs” with a third syllable that is not reduplicated do exist, but the process is no longer productive Björverud 1998:73. Elaborate adverbs have a four-syllable structure, generally involving one of the following patterns of reduplication: ABAB, ABAC, or ABCB, although instances of AABB have been found Björverud 1998:73: Table 7. Patterns of reduplication Pattern A B C B Lexemes kh ə́ f ɛ̀ lìq f ɛ̀ 139 kh ə́ fɛ̀ lìq f ɛ̀ hand boast foot boast ‘boastfully’ Adverbs formed from ‘hand’ and ‘foot’ root morphemes are called “attitudinal ABCB adverbs” Björverud 1998:74. Adverbials that are xa-adverbs or elaborated adverbs or adverbial clauses may be followed by the adverbial particle ni, but common adverbs may not. The longer the adverbial, the more likely the use of ni Björverud 1998:112. 140 tjh ə̀ bà j ɪ̀ tjh ə̀ bà lú ni p ỳ one CLF :side heavy one CLF :side light ADV carry ‘to carry with one side heavy and the other side light’ Björverud 1998:112 When the reduplicated or elaborated adverbial is the most salient feature of the predicate, this may be expressed by using ‘do’ or ‘be’ as a dummy verb, followed by the adverbial particle Björverud 1998:114. 141 kh ə́-tjhì-lìq-tjhì ni pí tàq shivering all over ADV do PERM ‘already shivering all over’ 142 tshúmù à mù-ná- ʃí-ná ni ŋá là elderly TOP sickly ADV be ASP ‘Old people are prone to sickness.’ Björverud 1998:114

8.4.3 ‘Like thatthis’ adverbs