Direct vs. Hearsay: Forming Affirmative Statements

¡Allinllachu! Welcome back.

In our last lesson, we practiced asking "What is this?" (Imataq kay?) and answering with statements like Kayqa wasim (This is a house). You might have noticed that the -m suffix seems to pop up a lot when we state facts. You're right, and it's not just for decoration!

Today, we'll dive into what that suffix, and others like it, really mean. This lesson focuses on a fascinating and essential feature of Quechua: evidential suffixes. Our learning outcome is to form affirmative statements using the evidential suffixes -mi (direct knowledge) and -si (hearsay). By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to make your statements more precise by indicating how you know something.

1. What are Evidentials?

In English, if you want to specify the source of your information, you use extra words. For example:

• "I saw that the store is open."
• "I heard that the store is open."
• "Apparently, the store is open."

Quechua is more efficient. It builds this information directly into the sentence using special suffixes called evidentials. Almost every statement in Quechua includes an evidential to mark the speaker's source of knowledge.

To get a quick overview, let's look at a simple resource that introduces this concept.

As the resource explains, there are three main evidentials. Today, we will focus on the first two: direct evidence and reported information.

2. The Direct Evidential: -mi

You're already familiar with this one! The suffix -mi is used when you have direct, personal knowledge of something. You use it for things you have seen, felt, or experienced yourself, or for things you hold as an undeniable truth (like your name).

This suffix has two forms, depending on the last letter of the word it attaches to:

• Use -mi after a word ending in a consonant.
• Use -m after a word ending in a vowel.

Let's see some examples:

• Kayqa wasi**m**. (This is a house.)
  • You use -m because you can see the house directly. wasi ends in a vowel.
• Payqa yachachiq**mi**. (He/She is a teacher.)
  • You use -mi because you know this for a fact (perhaps you are their student). yachachiq ends in a consonant.
• Sutiymi Maria. (My name is Maria.)
  • You use -mi because your name is a personal, certain fact. (Sutiy ends in a consonant.)

To deepen our understanding, let's turn to a more detailed resource.

Where does the evidential go?

The evidential suffix attaches to the most important or "focused" piece of information in the sentence. In the simple sentences we are building, this is usually the noun or adjective that describes the subject.

[Subject]-qa [Predicate/Focus]**-mi**.

• Qamqa (You) sumaq**mi** (are beautiful). -> The focus is on the quality of being beautiful.
• Chayqa (That) allqu**m** (is a dog). -> The focus is on identifying the object as a dog.

3. The Hearsay Evidential: -si

What if you want to talk about something you didn't see yourself, but heard from someone else? For this, you use the hearsay evidential, -si. It's the equivalent of saying "they say," "I was told," or "apparently."

This suffix follows the same rule as -mi:

• Use -si after a word ending in a consonant.
• Use -s after a word ending in a vowel.

Let's look at the Wikipedia article again for a formal definition. Note that the article uses the form -sh(i), which is common in other Quechua dialects. In Southern Quechua, which we are learning, this is pronounced and written as -s(i).

Comparing -mi and -si

The difference is all about the source of your knowledge.

• Scenario 1: You are in Cusco. You look at the sky and see it is clear.

  • You say: Cuscopiqa punchaw**mi**. (In Cusco, it is daytime - I see it myself.)

• Scenario 2: You are in Lima, talking on the phone with your friend in Cusco. Your friend tells you it's daytime.

  • You say: Cuscopiqa punchaw**si**. (In Cusco, it is daytime, so I'm told.)

Let's try another pair:

• Mariaqa yachachiq**mi**. (Maria is a teacher - I know this for a fact, I've seen her teach.)
• Mariaqa yachachiq**si**. (Maria is a teacher - That's what I've heard from someone else.)

This distinction is fundamental in Quechua and using the correct evidential is crucial for clear communication.

4. Practice

Let's practice choosing the correct evidential. For each sentence, decide whether to use a form of -mi or -si.

1. You are pointing to your own book. "This is a book." (Kayqa liwru...)
2. Your friend tells you that Pedro is from Cusco. You relay this information to someone else. "Pedro is from Cusco." (Pedroqa Cusco-manta...)
3. You are looking at a large dog. "The dog is big." (Allquqa hatun...)
4. You read in the news that it will rain tomorrow. You tell your family. "It will rain tomorrow." (Paqarinqa para...) (Note: para means rain).

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Answers:

1. Kayqa liwru**m**. (Direct evidence - you see it.)
2. Pedroqa Cusco-manta**s**. (Hearsay - your friend told you.)
3. Allquqa hatun**mi**. (Direct evidence - you see the dog.)
4. Paqarinqa para**s**. (Hearsay - you read it, you don't know for sure.)

5. The Cultural Importance of Evidentials

Using evidentials correctly is more than just a grammar rule; it's a reflection of cultural values. In Quechua culture, being precise about your source of knowledge is highly valued. It shows honesty and intellectual responsibility.

Let's read one final, very important section from the Wikipedia resource.

As you read, the core message is: Don't claim certainty for things you don't know firsthand. This principle is built right into the grammar of the language, reminding speakers to be precise with every statement they make.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've just learned one of the most distinctive and important features of the Quechua language.

Key Takeaways:

• Quechua uses evidential suffixes to indicate the speaker's source of information.
• -mi (or -m after a vowel) is the direct evidential. Use it for things you know from personal experience.
• -si (or -s after a vowel) is the hearsay evidential. Use it for information you heard from others.
• These suffixes attach to the most important or focused word in a statement.
• Using evidentials correctly is a key cultural and linguistic aspect of speaking Quechua, reflecting a value for precision and truthfulness.

Preview of the Next Lesson:

Now that you can make affirmative statements and specify your evidence, the next logical step is to learn how to disagree or state that something is not true. In the next lesson, we will learn how to form negative statements about identity and characteristics using the mana...-chu structure. This will give you another essential tool for conversation.

Tupananchiskama! (Until we meet again!)