484

Sentence suffixes which do show variation, either
in locale of occurrence, frequency of occurrence, phonemic
shape, or combinations thereof, are the topic/summarizer
suffix -ka (probably a reduced form of aka or uka
demonstratives), -lla ~ -ya politive, -m disclaimer and
its variants, and -pi

~ =-pu ~ -pu: reiterator of

   

absolute (stating information already known to the hearer).
Sentence suffix combinations showing variation are
i.lla ~ -pi. 25 -Sa.ya ~ -Sa.:, -xXa.]la ~ -xa.ya,

and -ti.xa which occurs as a subordinator in certain

   

dialects and will be discussed under subordination
(7-4.23.3).
7-2.22.1 -ka topic/summarizer and -xa ~ -: topic/
attenuator

Only one contemporary dialect, Calacala, was
found to have both -ka and /-xa/. Bertonio (1603b)
cited ca (phonemically /ka/ or /qa/?) and kha
(phonemically /xa/ or /k"a/ or /q"a/?) occurring in
environments apparently like those of -ka and -xa ~ -:
in contemporary dialects. Most dialects today have only
/-xa/. Morocomarca was found to have only -ka and /-:/.
This /-:/ must be distinguished from other morphemes of
vowel length. It is clearly not -: emphatic since it
occurs in the same or similar environments as /-xa/

attenuator with apparently the same function and meaning.