-mi

Suffix

-mi (Buginese form ᨆᨗ)

1. only

   tellumi panésaï

   there are only three things that determine it

Alternative forms

• (after vowels) -m

Suffix

-mi

1. Evidential suffix, first-hand information. Indicates that the speaker has direct evidence/knowledge of some fact, having experienced it, seen it, heard it, etc.

   Paykunawanmi kachkani.

   I am with them.

   Kuchinillaqa chiwanway ukhuyuqmi.

   The cochineal insect is deep red on the inside.

2. Used to mark an open-ended question; more informal than -taq

   Piwanmi richkanki?

   Who are you going with?

Suffix

-mi

1. non-past marker, applied to verbs of class 1 to indicate non-past tense

References

• Mary Laughren, Rob Pensalfini, Tom Mylne, Accounting for verb-initial order in an Australian language, in Verb First: On the syntax of verb-initial languages (2005)