Vocabulary LCDD 14 Paya Kuna. LCDD 14 Paya Kuna

33 4 QUESTIONS

4.1 Dialogue

Question words are extremely useful in finding your way among strangers in a new place. When you have only partial control of the language, you can question someone until you fully understand what they have been saying. By fully using the question words —several of which are included in Dialogue 4.1—you can continue a conversation for a reasonable time, even though you have very little control of the language. They also help the language learner to become better acquainted with the language and culture. Wife to her husband about visitors in their village: 1. Wife: ¿Toa noni? ‗Who has arrived?‘ 2. Husband: Waga. ‗An outsider‘ 3. Wife: Mmm. ¿Inkwa noni? ‗Hmm. When did he arrive?‘ 4. Husband: Immis. ‗Today.Just now.‘ 5. Wife: Immis. ¿Ibi pei? ‗Oh, today. What does he want?‘ 6. Husband: Chuli. Kinki pakcha. ‗Nothing. He bought a gun.‘ 7. Wife: Mmm. ¿Igi mani? ‗Hmm. How much?‘ 8. Husband: An wichul. ‗I don‘t know.‘ 9. Wife: ¿Pia pakcha? ‗Where did he buy it?‘ 10. Husband: Teal. ‗Downriver.‘ 11. Wife: Mmm. ‗Hmm.‘

4.2 Pronunciation

4.2.1 Intonation Ex. 1 –2

In section 3.2.3 the intonation pattern of questions requiring yesno answers is discussed. Other types of questions are discussed in this lesson see 4.4.3 for grammatical explanations. Become familiar with the correct intonation of questions by doing the following exercises. 15 Exercise 1 . Intonation drill Mimic the teacher in Dialogue 4.1 by humming the intonation. Pay special attention to acknowledgement of the answer to a question. Exercise 2 . Intonation drill Mimic the teacher in Dialogue 4.1, formulating the individual sounds as closely as possible without 1 slowing down, or 2 losing the intonation pattern.

4.2.2 Pronunciation of consonants at the end of words Ex. 3

Most of the time, the fortis and lenis difference between consonants at the end of words is maintained. Often, however, it is very difficult to hear. Examples 1. nab ‗gourd‘ 2. nap ‗earth‘ 3. tub ‗ropethread‘ 4. tup ‗island‘ 15 Since most intonation patterns are quite difficult to describe adequately and there is a great deal of variation according to the focus of emphasis of an individual speaker, we have not described most of the patterns, but emphasized mimicking the teacher or a tape for acquiring good intonation. 34 Questions Suggestions to help distinguish lenis from fortis consonants at the ends of words are: Suggestion 1 : Listen carefully to the vowel before the consonant. The vowel before a lenis consonant is longer than the vowel before a fortis consonant. Suggestion 2 : Listen to the long form of the word see 3.4.4 in order to help clarify whether the final consonant is lenis or fortis. Examples 1a. nab naba ‗gourd‘ b. nap napa ‗earth‘ 2a. tag tage ‗to come‘ b. tak take ‗to see‘ 3a. an ana ‗branch‘ b. an anni ‗I‘ Suggestion 3 : At the end of words, lenis sounds are made in a relaxed way and fortis sounds are made in a tense way. By watching the speaker ‘s mouth, you will get a clue to the identity of the final lenis or fortis consonant. For example, watch the speaker ‘s mouth as he says the word nab ‗gourd‘, and then as he says the word nap ‗earth‘. The b of nab is said with relaxed lips and they barely close at the end of the word. The p of nap is said with tense, tight lips which snap shut. Exercise 3 . Pronunciation of word-final consonants The teacher reads aloud at random one of the following words. Without looking at the book, the student sayswrites whether the final consonant is fortis or lenis. The lesson may be repeated with the student writing down the final letter of each word read by the teacher. Example Teacher: tub Student: lenisb 1. tub ‗ropethread‘ 2. tup ‗island‘ 3. nab ‗gourd‘ 4. nap ‗earth‘ 5. nag ‗foot‘ 6. nak ‗mouth of river‘ 7. mag ‗to paint‘ 8. mak ‗to sew‘ 9. tag ‗to come‘ 10. tak ‗to see‘

4.2.3 Pronunciation of labialized consonants Ex. 4 –7

There are seven labialized consonants: kw, gw, tw, dw, chw, zhw, and mw. These are not considered to be consonant clusters, but rather to constitute single sounds. Kw and gw are fairly frequent, the others are very rare. The labialized consonants only occur at the beginning of a syllable. There are equivalents for most of the labialized consonant sounds in both English and Spanish.

4.2.3.1 Pronunciation of labialized consonants for English speakers 1. kw is pronounced like qu in

‗quietquick‘.

2. gw is pronounced like gu in

‗language‘.

3. tw is pronounced like tw in

‗tweet‘.

4. dw is pronounced like dw in

‗dwarf‘.

5. chw is pronounced like tu in

‗actual‘.

6. zhw is pronounced like su in

‗casual‘.

7. mw does not occur in English, but there should be no difficulty in producing this sound.