resulting group, choose three representative nouns where there are at least three nouns with each of the different vowels, and each tone melody is well-represented.
Caning see Caning Grammar Book in appendix A has demonstrative suffixes attached to nouns, so we need to organize the nouns according to stem-final segment rather than stem-initial segments. Caning
has twelve non-predictable suffixes that mark plural nouns, as well as one derivational pair of suffixes -wan-gwan that indicate singular and plural body parts. Although the plural suffixes -iny and -u are
common, there are only a handful of nouns with some of the less common plural suffixes. So for representative nouns with root-final d, we take three with the common suffix -iny, and any others
that have been found to take a different plural suffix. For representative nouns with root-final n, we take three nouns with the common suffix -u, and any others that have been found to take a different
plural suffix. The nouns wundwanwunggwan ‘earears’ and andwanasänggwan ‘handhands’ with the derivational body-part suffix -wan-gwan will be used in addition to the nouns with root-final n.
Table 4. Some representative nouns used for Caning [shj]: With root-final d and n Suffix
Singular Plural
Gloss root-final d
-iny abad
abadiny stupid person
säxäd säxädiny
egg yolk amkadad
amkadadiny chisel -tede
led letede
dance type
-tudi sud
sutudi mound, hump
-tu sad
satu bowl, calabash
root-final n -iny
gisin gisininy
anteater
-u tasan
tasanu female goat
megen megenu
orphan dän
dänu
scorpion
-i meyin
meyini ant
-de jen
jende year
derivational suffixes -wan-gwan wundwan wunggwan ear
andwan asänggwan hand
In section 3.2.5 on frames, we discuss how representative nouns are used in frames to determine sound changes at morpheme boundaries.
3.2.4 Texts
The first step in using the texts is to revise them for correct wording. The spelling used in the texts can be corrected after the workshop by applying the agreed-upon spelling rules, and also by comparing the
spelling of words in the texts with those spelled correctly in the beginning dictionary. If the participants see changes needed in punctuation or translation, by all means make those revisions as well, but the
priority is on correct, natural wording. So by the end of the workshop, you want to have all of the texts revised by the participants in this way. To revise a text, have a good reader ideally the author of the
story read through the story completely. Discuss when the story might be told in the culture, by whom, and to whom, and if the written story is good, natural language that represents the spoken language.
Then have the participants read and correct one line at a time until reaching the end. As the participants mention something that may need to be corrected, find the word or phrase they are talking about and
write it on the board with a page and line number so that all other participants can contribute to the discussion. When all are in agreement, have all participants correct their copy of the text while you also
correct yours. Try to revise at least one text each day of the workshop. For some groups, this process can take up to an hour per story. Other groups have little to correct in their stories.
Once a story has been revised, lead the participants in marking a particular word category, morpheme, or other construction that you plan to investigate for sound changes in a frame on the board.
Teach the participants how to mark the morpheme using the same color and marking system you used when marking the texts in preparation for the workshop. The participants should mark the morpheme in
one or more texts until they can give a reasonable explanation of how the morpheme is used.
Suppose in looking at the Caning wordlist you find sagal ‘girl’, but looking in texts you find sagalong, which seems to mean ‘this girl’. In preparation for the workshop, you put a green box around the
suffix -ong in all words of several texts. Now in the workshop session, you lead the participants in marking this suffix with a green box in a revised text. Each time you find and mark the suffix, you ask
the participants its meaning, how it is used, and perhaps how the meaning would change if it were not used. When most of the participants are giving reasonable answers, ask them to list the various ways if
more than one the suffix is used. On the board, write each use as a simple statement and with an example clause from the texts. Include the page and line number from where the example was taken.
Table 5. Example of text marking and listing: Caning [shj]
Demonstrative near suffix in Caning [shj]:
1 Points to a singular or plural noun near the speaker.
515 Bonog, tong anadarugigong. ‘Friend, bring these glasses.’
2 Shows which noun the speaker is thinking about in the moment of speaking.
43 Ili onoc abag sagalong. ‘I really must marry this girl.’
3.2.5 Frames
