Types of text walgwen

20.4 Grammar 285

20.4.13 Discourse markers

It is not long before an outsider notices that in formal speech and to a lesser extent, in everyday speech, there is a handful of words which literally pepper the Kuna discourse. These words are discourse markers and are difficult for outsiders to understand and control. The purpose of this section is to help the student at least be aware of these forms and their function.

20.4.13.1 Function of discourse markers

129 Some markers indicate the attitude of the speaker towards his audience and include: -ye, -do, -a, jaj, and -chulchi. Other markers indicate how the speaker is relating what he is saying to his audience and include: itos, takcha, takenye , chogeye, takenchogye, chogchundo, and itoleye. 20.4.13.2 Distribution of discourse markers Discourse markers are inserted at the end of a thought which usually coincides with the end of a sentence. The speaker may also insert them just prior to the postpredicate position or at the end of each of several coordinate clauses. Examples 1. Pe wis an pentakoye. ‗Oh please, help me.‘ 2. Koe nad takenye, immal aminad takenye. ‗Deer went you see, hunting animals you see.‘ 3. Omegan immal taked nai takenye, immal echiknaichun takenye. ‗The women who looked after things were there you see , and they cut up the meat you see .‘ See also sentences 37 and 38 in section A of this lesson.

20.4.13.3 Specific markers

1 - ye The marker -ye ‗supplicatorynon-authoritative‘ has the effect of making the speaker ―talk-up‖ to his listener. The clearest example of the use of -ye is when someone is pleading for something, or talking to someone of much higher rank or status see 20.1, Sentence 12. Example Pe wis an pentakoye. ‗Oh please, please help me.‘ This -ye marker is used in storytelling and usually occurs as part of another discourse marker, e.g.,. takenye ‗appeal for credibility‘. In this sense, there is still an element of a plea to the listener see takenye in 8 below. 2 - do-to The marker -do-to ‗assertion‘ has been discussed in Appendix E, 5 and 6. However, it retains its assertive flavor when used as part of other discourse markers, e.g., chogchundo see 20.1, Sentence 6. Example Tadgan maidgin teob kuschogchundo. ‗That‘s what happened when the ancestors were alive.‘ 3 - a The tone of the marker -a ‗explanatory‘ is more neutral and there is no assertion or defensiveness. It is often used in teaching situations see 20.1, Sentence 2. 129 It is difficult to ascribe a specific meaning to the discourse markers. 286 Classifications Example An wis igal onakwia. ‗Explaining I‘m going to tell you a story.‘ 4 jáj Although jáj ‗challenge‘ is often used to make a real question one that expects an answer into a rhetorical question one that doesn ‘t expect an answer, in a wider sense, it is used to challenge the listener to dispute or contradict what he has said. Example ¿Inkwa pe takcha, jáj? ‗When did you see it, go on tell me?‘ 5 - chulchi-zhulchi-julchi When the speaker feels that the audience is in agreement with him, the appeal for agreement is a mere formality and the point will be willingly conceded, the suffix -chulchi-zhulchi-julchi ‗Isn‘t that so?‘ is used see Monologue 19.1, Sentence 2. Example Teun Pedro maimojulchi. ‗At that time Peter was home, wasn‘t he? Everybody knows he was.‘ 6 itos The marker itos ‗you understand‘ is used to mark explanatory comments of background or additional information see Dialogue 15.1, Sentence 11. Example An pega ochi ukmogo itos. ‗I‘ll give you a candy too, you understand.‘ 7 takchataikcha The marker takchataikcha ‗you understand‘ is also used to appealask for understanding. However, takcha is used with mainline information such as the main points of an argument, or an important explanation on which the outcome of the story is dependent see Section 20.1, Sentence 5. Example An pega mani uko, anka immal pakegal , takcha . ‗I‘ll give you some money, see, to buy me something.‘ 8 takenye The marker takenye ‗appeal for credibility‘ is used when the speaker is appealing for the believing support of the listeners. It is used extensively in storytelling and in narrating of personal or reported experiences see 20.1, Sentence 17. Example Teun achu mai takenye. ‗At that time tiger was livingat home you see.‘ 9 takenchogye The marker takenchogye ‗appeal for credibility of what was said‘ has the same meaning as takenye except that it relates to what was said instead of what happened see 20.1, Sentence 20. Example Koe chogal: --An ne tegil, takenchogye. ‗Deer said, ―I‘m going then,‖ you understand that he said it.‘ 10 chogeye The marker chogeye ‗it is said‘ is used when the speaker disclaims any responsibility for what is said. It is usually assumed to be fiction see 20.1, Sentence 4.