Chapter 65Eci and Person Interactions

65.1 Second plural and first-to-second reference

The form eci= has two functions in the Saru/Chitose conversational paradigm. It marks second-person plural in ordinary S, A and O forms. It also expresses the combination of a first-person subject with a second-person object, across all four singular and plural combinations Nakagawa (2024: 167–171, tables 25–29); Satō (2008: 146–147); Bugaeva (2012: 472, 474).

The last use is commonly called a portmanteau: a single form realizes a combination of features. Bugaeva reports that the corresponding combinations of ordinary first-person subject and second-person object prefixes are excluded in this paradigm Bugaeva (2012: 474). The portmanteau is consequently learned as part of the interaction paradigm.

65.2 The four first-to-second combinations

Number can be established by discourse, independent pronouns, or other expressions in the clause. The marker itself leaves it open. With a three-place verb, an overt third-person noun may identify the theme while the second-person object index identifies a recipient. The presence of such a noun therefore does not automatically identify the subject as second plural Satō (2008: 121, 147). See Chapter 66 (Object Indexing and Three-Place Verbs) for the distinction between two objects and one object index.

65.3 Second-to-first forms in Saru and Chitose

The reverse interaction has its own pattern. Nakagawa's Saru table gives en= and un= for a second-singular subject acting on first singular and first plural respectively. With a second-plural subject, it gives eci=en= and eci=un= Nakagawa (2024: 171, table 28).

Satō's principal Chitose description uses the shorter forms for both second-person numbers. On the same page, however, he acknowledges the longer second-plural forms reported by Nakagawa 1995. The alternatives must be read with their source descriptions Satō (2008: 147). Bugaeva's combined Saru/Chitose table includes the overt second-plural sequences Bugaeva (2012: 474, table 15.3) ‹contested›.

65.4 Regional interaction patterns

Shizunai does not share the same first-to-second-person pattern. Refsing describes an=e= with a second-singular object and either first-person number. With a second-plural object, first singular permits an=eci= or eci=…=an; her first-plural row has an=eci= Refsing (1986: 223–225, diagram 6 and examples 371–375).

Nakagawa's comparative tables show further patterns. Horobetsu has e=…=as and eci=…=as for first-to-second reference. Ishikari distinguishes first-singular =an from first-plural =as in these combinations; Tokachi has eci=…=an in all four first-to-second cells. Several cells elsewhere in the regional tables remain uncertain Nakagawa (2024: 171–174, tables 30–34).

65.5 Narrative reference and historical proposals

A literary “I” may use fourth-person morphology. Satō records Chitose a=e= and aci= in literary first-to-second reference and notes that the full literary interaction paradigm is incompletely known Satō (2008: 262). Nakagawa's examples likewise distinguish narrative person from the conversational first-person row Nakagawa (2024: 174, examples 130–132).

Refsing tentatively relates eci= to second-singular e= plus a plural element ci Refsing (1986: 217) ‹speculative›. That proposed decomposition does not by itself explain the distribution of the Saru/Chitose portmanteau or supply the missing regional cells. The person-series distinctions are developed in Chapter 67 (Fourth-Person Forms and Their Uses).