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When the two suffixes occur on noun stems that already

have three vowels, these stems lose the final vowel by

the three-vowel rule.

sullk.ir vma!! ‘father's younger brother's wife’

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sullk.iri  'younger'
sulik.ir_.tta ‘father's younger brother'
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The verbalizing suffix -kipta-, which also usually

takes a preceding vowel, causes the third vowel of a

three-vowel noun to drop.

(La Paz/Tiahuanaco)

usu.y .kipta.fia ‘to become sickly’

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usu.ri ‘sick person'

Before other suffixes that require a preceding vowel
(such as -pta- verbalizer) three-vowel noun roots and

stems keep the final vowel.

Ch'iyara.pta.s.k.i.w. ‘It is turning black. (La Paz)
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usu.ri.pta.fia ‘to become sickly' (La Paz)

12 3