587

7-5 Summary and Conclusion

Syntactic and morphosyntactic variation in Aymara
is slight. Morphemes showing some variation in phono-
logical shape are the particles, the independent nonfinal
and final suffixes, and some of the nominalizing (subordi-
nating) suffixes: the little-used -wi ~ -:wi ~ -awi and
the more common -sina (and variants) and -ipana (and
variants).

The final suffix inventory varies a little from
One dialect to another. The suffix -ka has been found
only in Calacala and Morocomarca. The vowel lenath
allomorph of -xa ~ -: topic/attenuator does not occur
in La Paz, Socca, or Jopoqueri. The disclaimer -m (and
variants) has occurred only in Huancané and parts of
La Paz.

Morphosyntactic processes are essentially the
same in all dialects. The southern group of dialects
(Jopoqueri, Salinas, and Morocomarca) plus Huancané
in the north have a four-member subordinating paradigm
of which the 3+3 -ipana (or variants) is the sole member
in other dialects; in some parts of La Paz even -ipana
is falling into disuse. The use of -xa topic/attenuator
as a subordinator of verbs appears to be more common in
La Paz dialects than in dialects that make greater use

of -sina or -ipana subordination.