-akento

Ye'kwana Alternative forms mch -kakento -yakento allomorphs Etymology From mch -a recent/distant past imperfective suffix -kene distant past imperfective suffix -to plural verb suffix or mch -akene distant past imperfective singular suffix -to plural verb suffix. The reduction of the mch ne syllable is synchronically irregular and suggests this suffix is analyzed as a single unit by current speakers. Pronunciation Suffix mch suffix forms the plural of the distant past imperfective tense when the arguments of the verb include a mix of one third-person argument and one first- or second-person argument Usage notes This suffix can cause syllable reduction. The suffix takes the form mch -kakento when the preceding syllable is reducible and has an onset of mch k, mch -yakento when the preceding syllable ends in mch i, and mch -akento in other contexts. References 213–222