-aato

aato Aato Ye'kwana Alternative forms mch -kaato -yaato allomorphs Etymology Seemingly from mch -a nonpast suffix -to plural verb suffix; however, compare mch -ato recent past imperfective non-third-person plural suffix, apparently formed from the same morphemes but without the unexpected vowel lengthening. According to Cáceres, it is unclear if this suffix in fact presents a long vowel, or if it rather has a geminated consonant after the vowel, and more study is needed to determine if perhaps it is not formed with mch -to but a different plural suffix specific to the nonpast tense. Pronunciation Suffix mch suffix Forms the plural of the nonpast tense. Usage notes This suffix can cause syllable reduction. The suffix takes the form mch -kaato when the preceding syllable is reducible and has an onset of mch k, mch -yaato when the preceding syllable ends in mch i, and mch -aato in other contexts. References 223–224