634

8-2.4 A nonpostulate: Singular/Plural

In Aymara the distinction of singular/plural is not
a postulate as it is for the Indo-European languages.
Plural may be optionally indicated by the noun suffix -naka
and/or the verbal derivational suffix -p-, as noted in
5-2.3, 5-3.25, and 6-2.26. The present section focuses on
examples that show the optionality of number marking in
Aymara.

8-2.41 Plural in translation, no
plural marking in Aymara

Juma.raki na.raki, juma.raki  na.raki,
2p and Ip and

 

uka.x kuna.s? Kayu.w.
that what foot

 

"You and I, you and 7,

what is that? Feet.’ (Calacoa riddle)

Wawa.j pirti.si.y.itu.
child Ip lose 3+]
S

'She made me lose my children." ‘(Socca)

Yapu.sa.taki.wa.
field 4p

'Tt's for our fields.' (Salinas)