A
case where the source is not or can not be one of the participants
of the verb is that of the imperative. i
and iwe
in the case of imperatives marks report-conveyance obtained
from the horse’s mouth as it were and could be sharp to
the point of being order-like and peremptory.imosü,
iusü,
and -sü which mark hearsay obtained from a second
hand source and iui
which marks hearsay obtained typically in a conversational
setting, on the other hand, are polite.
127
1.
ni1
odzü2 pfo-lo3
-
{iwe
}4
{ie
}
it seems4
you (sg.)1 (should)
fetch3 water
2
(the speaker having
got the instruction to convey from the horse’s
mouth, from someone
who wants the action done)
2.
ni1
odzü2 pfo-lo3
-
{imosü
}4
{i
}
{ sü }
it seems4
yo (sg.)1 (should)
fetch 3 water2
(the speaker having
got the information from someone other than
the one who wants
the action done)
3.
ni1
odzü2 pfo-lo3
-iuie4
it seems4
you (sg.)1 (should)
fetch3 water2
(the speaker having
got the news in a conversational setting)
Notice the English glosses. English requires that there
be a non-imperative structure after the clause marking hearsay
viz. it seems11. But in Mao
Naga, hearsay markers can follow any type of sentence including
the imperative. Examples 127. 1-3 illustrate the co-occurrence
of the moods of imperative and hearsay. Examples 128. 1-5,
that follow, illustrate the co-occurrence of the mood of
hearsay and various other moods.
128.
1.
ahia1
oho2
she-ab/büi le3
-
{ie
}4
{iwe}
{imosü}
{iusü
}
{sü}
{iuie}
it seems4
Athia1
choses (if permitted) to pound3
paddy2
(mood of choice)
2.
ahia1
oho2
she3 -
amolo4
{ iwe
} 5
{ie}
{imosü}
{iusü}
{sü}
{iuie}
it seems5
Athia1
may/might4
pound3paddy2(moodofdubitation)
3.
ahia1
oho2
she3 -lo(sü)4{iwe}
5
{ie
}
{imosü}
{iusü
}
{sü}
{iuie}
it seems5
Athia1
can/is able4
to pound3
paddy2
(mood of ability)
aiho1
odzü akhrü - o
ie2
- 
i
and 
