MASON, TEPECAXO, A PIMAN LANGUAGE OF MEXICO 367 



before been noted (p. 353). A similar relationship probably exists 



between the suffixes -n and -r, both denoting interest, -c probably 



indicates a more continuous action than -n. In both cases it is 



probable that the original lost final stem vowel reappears in certain 



instances. 



cima'kax give it to him ! 



cida'gin hold him tight ! 



aniumnio'knim I go speaking about you 



a'tivti'anio'kcin we were talking to thern 



kumi'tunha - 'gicdaN they must pardon me 



kupimipuma'toN know ye it! 



70. -tur, interest. 



Another suffix of somewhat similar import is -tur. It is found 

 solely with transitive verbs and mainly in ceremonial concepts. 

 The force of the suffix is rather intangible and can best be deter- 

 mined by a study of the actual occurrences. 47 



namputso'sbiturdim they go defending us 

 namputso'sbidim they go obstructing us 



anti'amnu'k - tur I did not guard your commands 



natunu'kturitda which we must always guard 

 anti'tunu-'k I guarded it 



napgama.itwi'cturda thou wilt repel it from our midst 

 napgama.itwi'cda thou wilt drive it from within us 



ticputo'maiarrra'turit for this we give you to know 



11. -im, present continuative with motion, iterative, 'participial, gerundive. 



This is one of the most frequently met suffixes in the language. 

 It is probably derived from verb stem him "go", which suggests 

 an earlier stem composition now reduced to a verbal suffix. The 

 primary meaning of the suffix appears to be the natural result of 

 the hypothesized stem composition, viz., the addition of the idea of 

 motion to the sense of the verb stem. Thus it is normally trans- 

 lated in Spanish "ir ndo" or in English "go m g-" 



Frequently however, the context does not support the idea of motion 

 and it appears that the use of the suffix has become idiomatic and 

 frequently amounts to no more than a continuative, iterative or 

 frequentative. 4S It appears in unchanged form without suffix in 



* ' A Lower Pima example of a suffix -tur changes the verb "speak" to "teach" 

 (Smith, op. ciL). 



" 8 Lower Pima -Aim also means "go doing" but does not necessarily imply motion 

 and is often frequentative (Smith, op. ciL). The Northern Tepehuaue gerund is formed 

 by the suffixation of -ami (Rinaldini, op. ciL). 



