Poessessives

In Opo they show possession by a suffix or word on the right of the possessed thing. For example, when someone has a « jaw », you add « ɨ́r », and say it as « jawɨ́r ». Here are the spelling rules about possessives:

6.1 All possessive words and suffixes have tone marking.

6.2 Possessives that start with « m » are not written together with the word.

6.3 Possessives that start with « ɨ́ » are written together with the word.

6.4 If a word ends with « a » it merges with the first vowel of the possessive « ɨ́ » and changes to « é ».

6.5 If a word ends with any other vowel (i u ɨ ʉ e o ɛ ɔ) and the possessive starts with « ɨ́ », remove the « ɨ́ » and give its tone to the final vowel of the main word.

6.6 If a word contains regular « i » or « u » in it, and the possessive starts with « ɨ́ », « ɨ́ » changes to « í ».

6.7 I a word has one syllable and ends in a vowel and has low tone (like « pi » or « ku » or « pa »), and the possessive ends with « ɨ́ », do the following: double the vowel ( i → ii u → uu e → ee o → oo ), change « a » to « e » ( a → ee ), take away « ɨ́ » and leave its tone on the final of the doubled vowels.

Associative marker

In Opo there is also a suffix that brings two words together (like “of” in English). For example when « kʼʉ́p » is combined with « jaw », you add « ɨ́ » in between and say « kʼʉ́pɨ́ jaw ».

6.8 When two words come together and the first word ends in a consonant (like «k p t b m n w y») add « ɨ́ » on its right.

6.9 When two words combine, if the first ends in a vowel (i u ɨ ʉ o e ɔ ɛ a), the « ɨ́ » changes to a tone marking added on top of that vowel.

6.10 If the first word has a regular « u » or « i » in it, and ends in a consonant (like «k p t b m n w y»), « ɨ́ » changes to « í ».

6.11 For some words, the result is written together as one word.

Chapter 6. Possessives and Associatives

Poessessives

Associative marker

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