Siye: Dative and Lative Cases
Basic Siye word order is SOV. In the case of verbs like “give,” which require an indirect object as well as a direct object, the word order is SIOV, The indirect object uses the dative enclitic -tu, if animate, or the allative or lative enclitic -su, if inanimate. These enclitics are almost, but not quite, complementary.
I laye sili-me-tu liyo nimu-0 yimuputuna.
He/She gave the good food to the maid.
I sili le-me-su tamnaki nukepa-0 emuputuna.
He/She returned the key (tamnaki nukepa) to my house.
(Literally, He/She gave the key to my house).
I le-me-su tamnaki nukepa-0 emuputuna.
He/She returned the key to my place.
*I le-su tamnaki nukepa emuputuna.
Do not omit the genitive or possessive enclitic here - the lative enclitic is inanimate, and its application to an animate noun could be construed as an insult.
Certain constructions, particularly those built on the causative suffix, reverse the dative and the absolutive/accusative.
Le laye sili-me-tu tamnaki nukepa elekopusumma.
I will show (cause to see) the key to the maid.
Le tamnaki nukepa-su laye sili-me ileyempusumna.
I showed (caused to see) the key to the maid.
Note that in the second sentence the enclitic -tu becomes -su because a key is inanimate. This reversal is the result of the different alignment of the verbal aspects. The imperfective has a nominative-accusative alignment; the causee, therefore, is in the dative or lative case. The perfective has an ergative-absolutive alignment; the causee, therefore, is in the absolutive or accusative case. The reversal is purely syntactical; it has no effect on saliency (the relative importance of each component in the sentence).
The lative, but not the dative, is used also in intransitive sentences.
Le sili i-me-su ituputunu.
I did not go to his/her house.
Pe-so i-me-su petusotunemo?
Did you two go to his/her place?
I laye sili-me-tu liyo nimu-0 yimuputuna.
He/She gave the good food to the maid.
I sili le-me-su tamnaki nukepa-0 emuputuna.
He/She returned the key (tamnaki nukepa) to my house.
(Literally, He/She gave the key to my house).
I le-me-su tamnaki nukepa-0 emuputuna.
He/She returned the key to my place.
*I le-su tamnaki nukepa emuputuna.
Do not omit the genitive or possessive enclitic here - the lative enclitic is inanimate, and its application to an animate noun could be construed as an insult.
Certain constructions, particularly those built on the causative suffix, reverse the dative and the absolutive/accusative.
Le laye sili-me-tu tamnaki nukepa elekopusumma.
I will show (cause to see) the key to the maid.
Le tamnaki nukepa-su laye sili-me ileyempusumna.
I showed (caused to see) the key to the maid.
Note that in the second sentence the enclitic -tu becomes -su because a key is inanimate. This reversal is the result of the different alignment of the verbal aspects. The imperfective has a nominative-accusative alignment; the causee, therefore, is in the dative or lative case. The perfective has an ergative-absolutive alignment; the causee, therefore, is in the absolutive or accusative case. The reversal is purely syntactical; it has no effect on saliency (the relative importance of each component in the sentence).
The lative, but not the dative, is used also in intransitive sentences.
Le sili i-me-su ituputunu.
I did not go to his/her house.
Pe-so i-me-su petusotunemo?
Did you two go to his/her place?