When two forms of a verb root differ in transitivity in Zapotec, there are a variety of ways in which this is signaled in the morphology. The most common is a fortis/lenis alternation, where the more transitive begins with a fortis consonant and the less transitive begins with the corresponding lenis consonant.
The following are some such pairs in San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec
r-bè’cy r-cwè’cy 'be lain (of eggs), worn/lay (eggs), wear'
r-bè’é r-cwè’ 'be taken off, out/take off, out'
r-bééz r-cwééz 'wait for/cause to wait for'
r-dè'é r-tè'é 'be rolled up/roll up'
r-dò' r-tò' 'be sold/sell'
r-dòòby r-tòòby 'be rolled up/roll up'
r-dxà r-chà 'be filled/fill'
r-dxà'ág r-chà'ág 'be joined/join'
r-dxììby r-chììby 'be afraid/frighten'
r-gà'ts r-cà'ts 'be buried, hidden/bury, hide'
r-gì'í r-quì'í 'be cooked/cook'
r-gíí'dy r-quíí'dy 'be stuck in/stick in'
r-go' r-cò' 'be mashed, crushed/mash, crush'
r-là' r-ldà' 'be saved/save'
r-ràyá' r-tyàyá' 'be grated/grate'
r-róób r-tyóób 'be sprinkled/sprinkle'
r-rù' r-tyù' 'be cut (from a tree)/cut (from a tree)'
r-rúùxh r-tyùùxh 'be peeled/peel'
One of the least common is the type where the initial CV of the more transitive member is /tsi-/ or /dzi-/ and the corresponding less transitive verb has /bi-/ in this position:
r-bìcá r-dzìcá 'get out, exit/take out'
r-bìjldy r-tsildy 'be destroyed/destroy'
r-bì'íldy r-dzì'ildy 'be hung, stretched/ hang,stretch'
I've recently been looking at the reflexes of verbs with a bi- replacive in Colonial Valley Zapotec and in several Central (modern Valley and Isthmus) languages, arriving at a table like the following:
The following are some such pairs in San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec
r-bè’cy r-cwè’cy 'be lain (of eggs), worn/lay (eggs), wear'
r-bè’é r-cwè’ 'be taken off, out/take off, out'
r-bééz r-cwééz 'wait for/cause to wait for'
r-dè'é r-tè'é 'be rolled up/roll up'
r-dò' r-tò' 'be sold/sell'
r-dòòby r-tòòby 'be rolled up/roll up'
r-dxà r-chà 'be filled/fill'
r-dxà'ág r-chà'ág 'be joined/join'
r-dxììby r-chììby 'be afraid/frighten'
r-gà'ts r-cà'ts 'be buried, hidden/bury, hide'
r-gì'í r-quì'í 'be cooked/cook'
r-gíí'dy r-quíí'dy 'be stuck in/stick in'
r-go' r-cò' 'be mashed, crushed/mash, crush'
r-là' r-ldà' 'be saved/save'
r-ràyá' r-tyàyá' 'be grated/grate'
r-róób r-tyóób 'be sprinkled/sprinkle'
r-rù' r-tyù' 'be cut (from a tree)/cut (from a tree)'
r-rúùxh r-tyùùxh 'be peeled/peel'
One of the least common is the type where the initial CV of the more transitive member is /tsi-/ or /dzi-/ and the corresponding less transitive verb has /bi-/ in this position:
r-bìcá r-dzìcá 'get out, exit/take out'
r-bìjldy r-tsildy 'be destroyed/destroy'
r-bì'íldy r-dzì'ildy 'be hung, stretched/ hang,stretch'
I've recently been looking at the reflexes of verbs with a bi- replacive in Colonial Valley Zapotec and in several Central (modern Valley and Isthmus) languages, arriving at a table like the following:
Glosses
|
Isthmus
|
Mitla
|
SLQuiavini
|
Guila
|
Colonial Valley
|
Comments
|
desbaratar(se), deshacer(se), descoser(se), desgranar(se)
[undo, destroy]
|
ribiá ~ ruchiá
|
bihL 'to be undone' ~ tsuhL 'to undo'
(destruir, descoser, desbaratar)
|
r-bihlly ~ r-tse'ihlly 'destroys'
|
biyi ‘deshacerse’ / u+tsiyi ‘destruirlo’ (TSS) |
bìld ~ tsìld (Lopez Cruz)
|
bi(j)lla ~ chi(j)lla
|
*ts > ch in IZ
*iL > i in IZ
*iL > iy in Guila1
*L >ld in Guila2
*tsu > tsi (or sï) in Guila; tse in SLQZ; chi in IZ
It is odd that TSS and LC cite different forms for Guila
|
extender, tender
|
rìbìàá ~ ruchìàá
|
r-biL ~ ru-tzuL
|
bì'ld~ tsì'ld
| |||
voltear
|
ribi'xhi'~rutiixhi'
|
not found
|
bishi ‘voltearse’ (B) / u+di’ishí ‘voltearlo’ (Acaus)
|
? texi ~ bixi 'tangle'
| ||
poner [put]
|
(not found)
|
bihb 'to be put' ~ dzub 'to put'
|
r-bèe'b 'gets put on'~ r-zùu'b 'puts'
|
bï̀ïb ~ sï̀ïb 'colocar, poner'
|
bijba ~ chijba
| |
acercar(se) [get close]
|
(not found)
|
bǐg 'to lean' ~ s-tsǔg ' to make to lean' (or get close)
|
bḯḯg ~ sḯḯg 'acercar(se)'
(LC)
|
biga ~ chijga
|
Briggs has 'lean', vs. Stubblefield acercar
| |
spin
|
(not found)
|
biʔ ~ 'to be spun' ~ dzuʔ 'to spin'
|
not found
|
bia7 ~ u+zia7 ‘menearlo’(TSS)
byée' ~ syée' 'mover, menear' (LC)
| (not found) | |
smooth
|
(not found)
|
biL 'to be smoothed' ~ tsuL 'to smooth out'
|
not found
|
chilla ~ billa
| ||
voltear(se) [turn from]
|
(not found)
|
birě 'to turn from' ~ tsurě 'to cause to turn from'
|
not found
|
Stubblefield has the transitive as ru-s-piré [voltear]
| ||
quitar [remove]
|
(not found)
|
bikah 'to be removed' ~ dzukah 'to remove'
|
r-bicàa~ r-zucàa
| (not found) | ||
sacudir [shake]
|
bï̀ḯg ~ sï̀ḯg 'sacudir(se)'
|
bijga ~ chijga
| ||||
clavar [stick into]
|
bi’ibí ‘clavarse’ (Ac) / dzibi ‘clavarlo’ (C)
|
not found
|
