Directionals
Okan “east”
Elan “west”
Jawn “north / up”
Kub’an
“south / down ”
Matthews & Garber (2004) https://www.jstor.org/stable/26308056
Zaro & Lohse (2005) https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/
Watanabe (1983) https://www.jstor.org/stable/2801904
Jatum ma txi’y?
A lesson about directionals in Mam
Beginner level
xi’ go
tzaj come
ul arrive here
pon arrive there
aj return
okan in (east)
elan out (west)
jaw up (north)
kub’ down (south)
b’aj complete
kyaj remaining
iky’ passing
12 directionals
In Mam there is a class of verbs called directionals which indicate motion. There are 12 directionals.
njay
my house
tuj tnam
the town/
down town
xi’
go
xi’ aj
go + return
ul
arrive (here)
tzaj
come
pon
arrive
(there)
click on a word to learn more
aj meltz’j
return
xi’
go
Ma chixi tuj tnam.
I am going to town.
The start of the motion away
xi’
ma chixi tuj tnam
njay
my house
tuj tnam
the town/
down town
Ma chixi...
Jatum ma txiy?
tuj tja xnaq’tzb’l
tuj tja qman
tuj tja q’anil
tuj tnam
ANSWER
xi’ - go
ma chixi.. | ma qo’xi... |
| ma qo’x... |
ma txi’y... | ma chje’x qi... |
ma txi’... | ma chje’x qa... |
READ
xi’ aj
go + return
Ma chix aji.
I went.
Used to talk about going in the past (if you are back now)
xi’ aj
ma chix aji tuj tnam
njay
my house
tuj tnam
the town/
down town
xi’
aj
Ma chix aji...
Jatum ma txi aji?
tuj tja xnaq’tzb’l
tuj tja qman
tuj tja q’anil
tuj tnam
ANSWER
xi’ aj - go + return
ma chix aji.. | ma qo’x aji... |
| ma qo’x aj... |
ma txi aji... | ma chje’x aj qi... |
ma txi aj... | ma chje’x aj qa... |
READ
ul
arrive (here)
Ma chnu’li.
I am arriving (here).
To arrive in the place that you are speaking
ul
ma chnu’li tuj tnam
njay
my house
tuj tnam
the town/
down town
Ma chnu’li...
tuj tja xnaq’tzb’l
tuj tja qman
tuj tja q’anil
tuj tnam
ANSWER
ul - arrive (here)
ma chnu’li | ma qwu’li |
| ma qwu’l |
ma tzuli | ma chju’l qi |
ma tzul xjal | ma chu’l qa |
READ
tzaj
come
Ma tzaj Mintz.
Mintz is coming.
motion towards the person speaking
tzaj
ma tzaj Mintz tzluw
njay
my house
tuj tnam
the town/
down town
Mintz
Jatum ta’ Lucrecia?
Ma tzaj Lucrecia...
tuj tja xnaq’tzb’l
tuj tja qman
tuj tja q’anil
njay
ANSWER
tzaj - come
ma chin tzaji | ma qo tzaji |
| ma qo tzaj |
ma tzaji | ma chi tzaj qi |
ma tzaj xjal | ma chi tzaj qa |
READ
pon
arrive
(there)
Ma pon Mintz.
Mintz is arriving (there).
to arrive somewhere else (not where you are now)
pon
ma pon Juan
njay
my house
tuj tnam
the town/
down town
tuj tja xnaq’tzb’l
tuj tja qman
tuj tja q’anil
tja
Jatum ta’ Lucrecia?
Ma pon Lucrecia...
ANSWER
pon - arrive (there)
ma chin poni | ma qo poni |
| ma qo pon |
ma poni | ma chi pon qi |
ma pon q’a | ma chi pon qa |
READ
aj meltz’j
return back
Ma chna’j meltz’ji.
I am returning.
to go back to somewhere you have already been
aj meltz’j
ma chnaj meltz’ji njay
njay
my house
tuj tnam
the town/
down town
aj meltz’j
Ma chna’j meltz’ji...
tuj Xjan Xwan
tuj tja qman
tuj tja q’anil
njay
ANSWER
aj meltz’j - return
ma chna’j meltz’ji | ma qwa’j meltz’ji |
| ma qwa’j meltz’j |
ma tz’aj meltz’ji | ma chja’j meltz’j qi |
ma tz’aj meltz’j | ma chja’j meltz’j qa |
READ
intermediate: translate and create
Ma tzul Ajxnaq’tzal.
Ma tz’aj meltz’ji tzluw.
Jatum ma chje’x aji?
Ma qo poni tuj tnam.
Ma chju’l qa ja’l.
Jatum ma qo’x?
Ma tzaj jun xjal.
intermediate: translate and create
Ma tzul Ajxnaq’tzal.
Ma tz’aj meltz’ji tzluw.
Jatum ma chje’x aji?
Ma qo poni tuj tnam.
Ma chju’l qa ja’l.
Jatum ma qo’x?
Ma tzaj jun xjal.
The teacher arrived (here).
You returned here.
Where did you all go?
We arrived in the town.
They arrived (here) today.
Where are we (incl) going?
A person is coming.
advanced: create and combine