MASON, TEPECANO, A PIMAN LANGUAGE OF MEXICO 347 



and it has been impossible to distinguish between the two forms 

 -ta- and -va- in meaning or use. The completive vowel may how- 

 ever, stand alone without either the preterit -t- or the particle -v- 

 and is frequently combined with the positive -ic- to form -ac-. 



titi'ma'vwa I have thrown it already 



puaka'toD it was spread 



ave'nracbiu'k-aD I was very hungry 



nanacma'hinam which I now want to shoot 



A puzzling idiom is that of a frequent word anti'vahl, U I am 

 going", (ya me voy). The form here is purely preterit and should 

 be translated "I have gone". It is a possible explanation that the 

 idiom is copied from the Spanish idiomatic use of the same adverb 

 "ya". anti'Mhi is translated exactly the same, "I am going", and 

 is also purely preterit in construction. 



."»/. -sap-, repeated or indirect statement. 



This particle is seldom directly translated but when a translation 

 is insisted upon it is given as "dizque", literally "said that". While 

 in many cases the reason for the use of the particle is not evident, 

 it is principally used with statements made on the authority of an- 

 other, repeated statements, reported sayings and similar cases. 



amsapiva'tia they are bathing in some other place 



kutsapmito'gia let us go to see it 



ku'msapipututo'k'a they say that they are going to ask him 



atsapida'daiya he says we will arrive 



52. -gam-, progressive. 



This likewise is a particle of rather vague and indefinite meaning 

 but of frequent occurrence. It occurs principally with verbs of 

 motion and seems to imply separation, departure, the commencement 

 of motion and similar concepts. 



nagamiko'hinim he goes walking 



napuvako'hinim already he goes treading 



natpugamatonu'idida that we may go living 



na'tpuvapno'idida that we thus may go beholding 



It is probably this same particle which precedes many imperative 

 forms when motion is implied. 



gambicihi'm come here! 



gambi'cimak give it here! 



gamcida'raiwa sit down ! 



