Sgaw Karen · Complete Glossary of Polysemous Words

bâˀ

Main Verb & Stative Meanings

hit, encounter (main verb, non-agentive): jə·tʰîˀ·bâˀ — I see you, I meet you (lit., I see and encounter you)
be correct, be right: ʔə·bâˀ — it is correct
be cheap: bâˀ·nê — cheaper than
occur, happen (impersonal): tə·bâˀ — doesn't happen

Modal & Auxiliary Verb Functions

must, have to (deontic modal verb): expresses necessity based on moral obligation, outer circumstances, or subjective attitude
- jə·bâˀ — I must
- jə·kə·bâˀ — I will have to (irrealis)
be able to correctly, possess knowledge to do properly (verb of possibility)
- tə·bâˀ — cannot correctly, not be able to
opportunity marker 'get to' (from bâˀ 'hit')
- dōˀ·bâˀ — get to ride
- nê·bâˀ — get (opportunity)
experience marker 'have ever'
- dōˀ·bâˀ — have ever ridden
- ʔɔ̂ˀ·bâˀ — have ever eaten
marker of non-volitional events: happen to, inevitably
- lɔ̀·tɛ̀ˀ·bâˀ — fall (unexpectedly, accidentally)
- lɛ̀·bâˀ — go (and get sucked into something)

Valency-Changing & Discourse Functions

patient-promoting marker (agent-demoting, similar to passive)
- jə·bâˀ — I am (seen)
- bâˀ·tâ·mà·θī·ʔɔ̀ — be killed (P-promoting construction)
applicative marker: adds affectee/patient argument
- mɨ̀ˀ·bâˀ — be enjoyable for, be pleasing to (someone)
- θwā·bâˀ — be big for (someone) (from affectee's viewpoint)
connective in successive constructions: one after another

Common Compounds with bâˀ

bâˀ·dō — hurt
bâˀ·jôˀ — worry, be concerned
- bâˀ·jôˀ·lə̄ — worry that (with irrealis kə- in complement)
bâˀ·kɔ̄·bâˀ·kʰɛ̄ — face hardship, be in trouble (elaborate expression)
bâˀ·pʰɨ̄ˀ — might, could happen (apprehensive marker); signals unexpectedness, lack of control, apprehension
bâˀ·sʰâˀ — but, however (contrastive conjunction); although (clause-final concessive marker)
- bâˀ·sʰâˀ·dɔ̄ˀ — however (clause-external adverb)
- bâˀ·sʰâˀ·θə·nàˀ·kē — although (combined concessive)
bâˀ·tə·bâˀ — maybe (epistemic adverb)
bâˀ·tʰwɛ̄ — be connected with, be related to
bâˀ·xāˀ — be concerned with, be related to, be connected with
bâˀ·θāˀ — want, like (volitional verb); approve of (from bâˀ 'hit' + θāˀ 'heart'); fully lexicalized verb-noun compound that can take an object
bâˀ·θûˀ·bâˀ·θāˀ — will, desire; like, want (elaborate expression)

Interrogative Phrases with bâˀ

bâˀ·mə·nɨ̀ — why (content question word)
bâˀ·mə·nɨ̀·ʔə·xō — why (rhetorical question, shorter form)
bâˀ·mə·nɨ̀·ʔə·xō·lɛ̂ˀ — why (full rhetorical question)
bâˀ·mə·nɨ̀·ʔə·xō·lɛ̂ˀ·nêˀ — why? (followed by explanation)

dâˀ

Clitic with Coreference Markers

clitic element that combines with coreference markers to form emphatic pronouns
- jɛ̄·dâˀ — I (first person singular emphatic)
- nɛ̄·dâˀ — you (second person singular emphatic)
- wɛ̄·dâˀ — third person coreference marker with clitic (colloquial style)
- pə·wɛ̄·dâˀ — we, us (first person plural emphatic, inclusive)

Adverbial Modifier

only, exclusively: lɛ̀·dâˀ — only go; ʔɔ̂ˀ·dâˀ — only eat
instead (contrastive meaning)
not more than (with scope over quantifier phrases)
with verbs of ability/permission: nê·dâˀ — can only

Subject Autonomy Marker

autonomously, by itself, of one's own accord
- nə·θāˀ·dâˀ·nɛ̄ — yourself (emphatic reflexive)

Emphatic Particle

even: dâˀ·lɛ̀ˀ — even (emphatic adverbial particle; scope over preceding constituent)

dīˀ

Verb: Likeness & Similarity

be like, resemble (descriptive verb): tə·dīˀ — is not like
be equal to, be like: dīˀ·θōˀ — be equal to, be like (common verb)
as (adverbializer in similative clauses, used with θōˀ)
- dīˀ·pɣà·kōˀ·ɣà·dɛ̄ˀ·θêˀ·ɲā·ʔə·θōˀ — as everyone knows
- dīˀ·θōˀ·ʔì — like this

Purposive Adverbializer

in order to, so that: from dīˀ 'be like' + θōˀ 'SIM'
- dīˀ·θōˀ·kə·lɛ̀·mà·lō·tâ·lə̄·wê·pù — to go study in the city
- dīˀ·θōˀ·pɣà·kə·ʔɛ̂ˀ·nà — in order for people to love you

Aspectual Marker

continuative marker 'still, yet' (phasal polarity marker)
- tə·bâˀ·dīˀ — cannot yet
- tə·wì·dīˀ·bâˀ — haven't finished yet
- tʰîˀ·bū·dīˀ — have ever seen (as of yet, implying still possible)

Comparative Correlative Construction

in dīˀ-V ... dīˀ-V: 'the V-er ... the V-er'
- dīˀ·jìˀ ... — the longer (it) lasts ...
- dīˀ·nāˀ·tʰɔ̂ˀ — the more severe (it) becomes

Question Words & Adverbs

dīˀ·lɛ̂ˀ — how (question word)
- dīˀ·lɛ̂ˀ·dīˀ·lɛ̂ˀ — no matter how (reduplicated)
dīˀ·nêˀ — like that (adverb)
dīˀ·ʔì — like this (adverb)

Noun

wing: ʔə·dīˀ — its wing

dōˀ

Main Verb

ride (bicycle, vehicle)
submit (self to V) (causative verb dōˀ-)

Verb in Compounds

get, receive: dōˀ·nê — receive
with opportunity meaning: dōˀ·nê·bâˀ — receive (with opportunity meaning)

Causative/Reflexive Function

causative verb: submit self to; let oneself be V-ed
- dōˀ·pʰɔ̂ˀ — turn (himself) in, let (himself) be caught
- dōˀ·pʰɔ̂ˀ·ʔə·θāˀ — turn oneself in, let oneself be arrested
- dōˀ·xɨ̄·tʰə̄ — run in an election, let oneself be elected
- dōˀ·tʰîˀ·jə·θāˀ — let myself be seen
- dōˀ·ʔêˀ — let (himself) be bitten/eaten

Noun

young leaf: in compound tâ·dōˀ

dɔ̄ˀ

Conjunction & Preposition

and (coordinative conjunction)
with (comitative and instrumental preposition)
- lɛ̀·dɔ̄ˀ·jà — go with me
- xɨ̀ˀ·dɔ̄ˀ — along with, together with (verb-derived preposition)

Aspectual Modifier

again (verbal modifier, variant of kə·dɔ̄ˀ)
- dɨ̄ˀ·ʔɔ̂ˀ·kə·dɔ̄ˀ — feed again
- nə·tə·mà·kə·dɔ̄ˀ·lə̀ — you won't do again

Frame-Setting Particle

after clauses (especially after wì 'finish')

lə̄

See the full entry for lə̄ for complete details.

Summary

Preposition: at, from, to, with, instrument, oblique marker
Relativizer: introduces relative clauses ('who', 'which', 'that')
Complementizer: introduces complement clauses ('that')
Quotative marker: introduces names or direct quotes
In adverbial clauses: with relator nouns for time, reason, purpose

lɔ̀

Directional Verb

down (directional verb)
go down, come down (prior motion verb)

Directional Modifier

indicates downward orientation or movement
- hêˀ·lɔ̀ — give to (recipient lower in social standing or physically lower)
- hɔ̂ˀ·lɔ̀ — cry over (someone/something; downward orientation toward deceased)
- lɛ̀·lɔ̀ — go down
- lɔ̀·tɛ̀ˀ — fall, fall off, fall down
- jù·lɔ̀ — dive, fly down
- lɔ̀·bâˀ — spill down on, fall onto (physical contact/affectedness)

Degree Modifier with Descriptive Verbs

expresses decreased degree
- bū·lɔ̀ — get thinner (objects)
- kʰɨ̂ˀ·lɔ̀ — get cooler, cool down
- sâ·lɔ̀ — get weaker

Emotive Causative Function

stimulus causes sensation of wanting/needing to V
- lɔ̀·hāˀ — be tempting to visit (of a place)
- lɔ̀·kà — look tempting to wear
- lɔ̀·nì — be funny, laughable
- lɔ̀·pɣè — look tempting to buy
- lɔ̀·ʔɛ̂ˀ — be cute, lovable

With Reflexive/Reciprocal

orientation toward self: sīˀ·tʰɔ̂ˀ·pə·trə̀·lɔ̀ — praise oneself

Final Particle

factual final particle
- nêˀ·lɔ̀ — final particle (formal factual)

mê

Copula Verb

be true, be the case (descriptive verb)
copula verb 'be' (identificational/attributive)
- jə·mê — I am
- pə·mê·wɛ̄·dâˀ — we are
- ʔə·mê — he is

Conditional Marker

if, when (conditional verb, from mê 'be the case')
- nə·mê — if you; even though you (concessive)
- jə·mê — if I
- nə·mê·tə·lɛ̀·bâˀ — if you don't go
- nə·mê·ʔɛ̂ˀ·dōˀ·lɛ̀·dɔ̄ˀ·jà — if you want to go with me

Concessive Marker

although (even when followed by contrary outcome)
- nə·mê·bâˀ·lɛ̀·θə·ɣə̂·dɔ̄ˀ... — no matter how many difficult experiences you might have to face

Interrogative Functions

question marker (yes/no questions)
indirect question marker 'if, whether'
- pʰɔ̂ˀ·kwâ·mê·ʔə·kô·wɛ̄ — touch to see how hot it is

Affirmative Response

yes (affirmative response)

Other Functions

or (colloquial short form of mē·tə·mê)
in temporal clauses: mê·wì — after (lit., when finished)

In Compounds

mê·kè — become again
mê·tɔ̄ — be true (coordinate compound)
mê·ɣè — or (clause-final alternative conjunction)

nê

Main Verb

get (verb)
- nê·bâˀ — get, receive (with opportunity meaning)

Modal Verb of Possibility

succeed in, manage to (with effort)
be allowed to, have permission
- kə·nê — will be able to
- tə·nê — cannot, was not able to
- tə·nê·dīˀ — not yet able

Aspectual Marker

perfect marker (N.Thailand)
get (the chance) to (secondary verb, N.Thailand, Thai influence)

Benefactive Marker

adds beneficiary/recipient argument (from nê 'get')
- mà·nê — do for (someone), work for
- pɣè·nê — buy for (someone)
- jə·kə·ʔɔ̂ˀ·nê — I will eat for (you)
- nə·xē·nê — you request (for someone)
- θī·kwâ·nê — ask on (someone's) behalf

Comparative Marker

follows descriptive verb
- dôˀ·nê — greater than, bigger than
- kə̂ˀ·nê — lazier than
- sʰīˀ·nê — smaller than
- tʰɔ̄·nê — longer than
- ʔā·nê — more, more than usual

Deputative Beneficiary

go instead of: lɛ̀·nê — go for (someone), go instead of

Malefactive Uses

hā·nê — get dark on (someone) (malefactive)
kʰīˀ·nê — darkness comes over (someone)
lɔ̀·mâ·nê·kwìˀ — disappear on (someone)

pɣà

Noun

person, people
- pɣà·kə·ɲɔ̄ — Karen person
- pɣà·sʰā — patient, sick person
- pɣà·mà·lō·tâ·pʰō — student

Impersonal Pronoun

people, one (agent backgrounding)
- pɣà·tɔ̂·ʔɔ̀·kɔ̄ˀ·mɨ̂·nì·dɛ̄ˀ — he was beaten every day (lit., people beat him every day)

First Person Plural Pronoun

us, we (independent pronoun)
- pə·pɣà·kə·ɲɔ̄·pʰō — us Karen people
- tâ·mà·bâˀ·xāˀ...pɣà·bâˀ·kɔ̄·bâˀ·kʰɛ̄ — work helping people in trouble

In Elaborate Expressions

pɣà·bâˀ·kɔ̄·bâˀ·kʰɛ̄ — refugee, person in trouble
pɣà·tʰī·pɣà·kɔ̂ — (other) people's countries
pɣà·ɣê·pɣà·klò — gossip, matters of others

tâ

See the full entry for tâ for complete details.

Summary

Noun: 'thing'
Nominalizer: turns verbs into nouns (tâ-ʔɔ̂ˀ 'food')
Impersonal pronoun: 'one', 'someone', 'something'
Expletive: with impersonal verbs (tâ-kô 'it is hot')
Agent-demoting marker: passive-like constructions
In demonstratives: tâ-ʔì 'this', tâ-nêˀ 'that'

tə-

See the full entry for the tə- prefix for complete details.

Summary

Negative prefix: on verbs, with bâˀ (jə-tə-lɛ̀ bâˀ 'I don't go')
Numeral 'one': before classifiers (pɣà tə-ɣà 'one person')
Lexical prefix: in nouns like təkʰɔ̄ˀ 'mango', tərūˀ 'Chinese person'

tʰɔ̂ˀ

See the full entry on directional verbs for complete details.

Summary

Motion verb: go up, come up
Directional modifier: up, out (lɛ̀-tʰɔ̂ˀ 'go up', hāˀ-tʰɔ̂ˀ 'go out')
Inchoative marker: start to V (nì-tʰɔ̂ˀ 'burst out laughing')
Degree modifier: with descriptive verbs for increase (dôˀ-tʰɔ̂ˀ 'get bigger')

xàˀ

Aspectual Modifier

be fixed, made fast to
V fixed, keep V-ed
makes compound atelic (state/activity)
expresses persistent result, fixing in position

Examples

jɔ̂·tî·xàˀ — hold fast by treading on
pàˀ·xàˀ — keep, store, put and leave
pʰɔ̂ˀ·xàˀ — hold, hold fast (activity verb)
kə·tɛ̀ˀ·kə·tɔ̀·xàˀ — arrange, prepare and leave in place
tô·nɔ̂ˀ·xàˀ — remember and keep in mind
ʔōˀ·tʰɔ̂ˀ·xàˀ — be open (resulting state, focus on result rather than action)

θāˀ

Noun: Psycho-noun

heart (seat of emotion and will)
- jə·θāˀ — my heart
- jə·θāˀ·kʰɨ̄ — I am happy (lit., my heart is happy)
- jə·θāˀ·ʔɨ̄ˀ — I am sad

Grammatical Noun: Reflexive

self (used in reflexive constructions)
- jə·θāˀ — myself
- nə·θāˀ — yourself
- ʔə·θāˀ — itself, himself, themselves
- pə·θāˀ — ourselves (each other) (reciprocal)

In Reciprocal Constructions

lòˀ·θāˀ — each other (reciprocal with reflexive)
- tʰîˀ·lòˀ·θāˀ — meet each other
- ʔɛ̂ˀ·lòˀ·ʔə·θāˀ — love each other
- kwâ·tʰwɛ̄·lòˀ·θāˀ — look after each other

Anticausative Marker

V-ʔə·θāˀ makes intransitive verb from transitive
- mà·ʔə·θāˀ — happen (vs. mà 'do, make')
- kɛ̄·tʰɔ̂ˀ·ʔə·θāˀ — happen (vs. kɛ̄·tʰɔ̂ˀ 'become, occur')
- ʔōˀ·tʰɔ̂ˀ·ʔə·θāˀ — open (intr.), be open
- sʰɔ̄·tə·lɛ̄·ʔə·θāˀ — change (intr.)
- pə·tɨ̀ˀ·ʔə·θāˀ — come to a stop

In Psycho-Compounds

θāˀ·dôˀ — be angry (heart-big)
θāˀ·kʰɨ̄ — be happy
θāˀ·lɔ̄ — desire, like (heart-covet)
θāˀ·pè·nɔ̂ˀ — forget
θāˀ·pɣâ — be old (of people), elder (heart-old)
θāˀ·sâ — be young (of people)
θāˀ·sʰīˀ — be timid, be sad, be discouraged (heart-small)
θāˀ·ʔɨ̄ˀ — be sad
θāˀ·ʔôˀ — desire to, feel like (heart-exist)

In Elaborate Expressions

θûˀ·θāˀ — heart, mind (liver-heart)
kə·sâ·θāˀ — self (body-heart)

Verb

itch: tə·θāˀ — doesn't itch

θêˀ.ɲā

Stative Verb

know
- jə·θêˀ·ɲā — I know
- tə·θêˀ·ɲā — doesn't know

Inchoative/Punctual

come to know, discover: θêˀ·ɲā·bâˀ (vs. stative θêˀ·ɲā)

Degree Modification

know more: θêˀ·ɲā·ʔā·tʰɔ̂ˀ

Reciprocal

know each other: θêˀ·ɲā·lòˀ

Reflexive

know oneself, be self-aware: θêˀ·ɲā·lɔ̀·jə·θāˀ

Nominalized

pə·tâ·θêˀ·ɲā — our knowledge

In Agent Nominals

pɣà·xɨ̄·tʰîˀ·θêˀ·ɲā·tâ·pʰō — researcher

θōˀ

Relator Noun

as, like, likeness (similative relator noun, related to verb θōˀ 'put on, wear')
- dīˀ·pɣà·kōˀ·ɣà·dɛ̄ˀ·θêˀ·ɲā·ʔə·θōˀ — as everyone knows
- dīˀ·jə·mê·pâ·tə·ɣà·ʔə·θōˀ — as a father
- dī·θōˀ·ʔɔ̀ — like her/him

In Purposive Clauses

in order to, so that (from dīˀ 'be like' + θōˀ 'SIM')
- dīˀ·θōˀ·kə·lɛ̀·mà·lō·tâ·lə̄·wê·pù — to go study in the city
- dīˀ·θōˀ·pɣà·kə·ʔɛ̂ˀ·nà — in order for people to love you

Verb

be equal to, be like, resemble
- tə·dīˀ·θōˀ — are not similar to
put on (clothes)

In Compounds

tʰɛ̄·θōˀ — be equal (to)
tʰɛ̄·θōˀ·lòˀ — be equal to each other
pɣɛ̀·θōˀ — be equal

ʔə-

Third Person Prefix

third person prefix on verbs and nouns (singular or plural)
- ʔə·lɛ̀ — he/she/it goes / they go
- ʔə·tâ — their thing, its thing
- ʔə·mô — his/her mother
- ʔə·pʰō — his child

Possessive Function

marks possession on nouns
- ʔə·mì — his name
- ʔə·kʰôˀ — their heads, their chief

In Demonstratives

forms demonstrative pronouns
- ʔə·nêˀ — that (demonstrative pronoun, predominant in northern Thailand)
- ʔə·ʔì — this (demonstrative pronoun)
- ʔə·wɛ̄·nêˀ — that (emphatic demonstrative form)

In Relator Nouns

forms relator nouns with clausal complements
- ʔə·kʰā — its time, the time of, the time when
- ʔə·lɔ̂ — its place, the place of
- ʔə·xō — therefore, because of that (lit., its reason)
- ʔə·ɣɔ̂ — for his/her sake, for him/her

In Reflexive/Anticausative

ʔə·θāˀ — itself, himself, themselves (reflexive); anticausative marker
- mà·ʔə·θāˀ — happen, be like
- kɛ̄·tʰɔ̂ˀ·ʔə·θāˀ — happen

As Filler/Hesitation Marker

ʔə·wɛ̄ — hesitation marker/filler (from 3rd person pronoun)
ʔə·wɛ̄·dâˀ — hesitation marker/filler with dâˀ

ʔôˀ

Existential Verb

exist, be (somewhere), live
- jə·ʔôˀ — I am; my location
- tə·ʔôˀ — there is not
- kə·ʔôˀ — will be/exist (irrealis)

Locative Relator Noun

location (with human/non-location referents)
- jə·ʔôˀ — to me (locative relator noun)
- nə·ʔôˀ — to you
- ʔə·ʔôˀ — to him

Concurrent State Verb

in ʔôˀ-V construction: 'stay (somewhere) V-ing'

In Compounds

ʔôˀ·bɣīˀ — rest (noun) (exist-tired)
ʔôˀ·mū — live, life (in tâ·ʔôˀ·mū 'life')
ʔôˀ·pʰɣôˀ — be gathered, meet
ʔôˀ·sʰōˀ — live, reside (coordinate compound)
ʔôˀ·θə·kōˀ — visit, be with

With Aspectual Modifiers

ʔôˀ·tê — stay, remain
ʔôˀ·dīˀ — still have
ʔôˀ·dâˀ — only exist
ʔôˀ·pɣɛ̀ — be full (of); common with dɔ̄ˀ 'with'

In Idioms

jə·ʔôˀ·θə·jɨ̂ — I miss (lit., I am in longing)
tâ·ʔôˀ·θāˀ — situation, circumstance