Suffix -NI

[Susana Moraleda]

Sorry to disturb everybody with a question that to many may seem stupid, but
I have no other alternative but to ask here, after having consulted a number
of grammars.  I ask you to please be patient with me.

Suffix -NI as far as I know, is added to verbs in three instances (other
than customary present):
1) as agentive - added to the present tense - e.g. CUICANI (one who sings)
2) as instrumental - added to the impersonal - e.g. NEITTALONI (instrument
with which to see oneself = mirror)
3) as adjective - added to the passive - e.g. CUALONI (eatable)

My problem is how to distinguish (2) from (3)
My reasoning is that, given that the impersonal is used with both transitive
and intransitive verbs (only with 3rd person sing), and the passive is used
only with transitive verbs, does this also apply in the creation of
instruments and adjectives?
So an intransitive verb can only become instrumental and not adjective?
and a transitive verb may become both instrumental and adjective?

For example
MICOHUANI (MICOHUA, impersonal, - death is going on - intransitive)
   can only mean "instrument with which to kill - poison", but not
"killable"?
NEITTALONI (ITTALO, passive, - he is seen - transitive/refl)
   can be "mirror", but can it also mean "mirrorable" or "seeable"?
How to distinguish the latter?

Sorry for the confusion and thanks a million for any feedback.

Susana












_______________________________________________
Nahuatl mailing list
Nahuatl at lists.famsi.org
http://www.famsi.org/mailman/listinfo/nahuatl