Hualapai Reference Grammar

Book excerpt: A first and modest beginning toward a grammar of the Hualapai language, a Pai branch of the Yuman language family, this reference book is intended for use by: the Hualapai people to reaffirm the vitality of their language; the Hualapai teachers in their preparation of language materials for teaching; younger Haulapais to find the regularity and complexity of the language; and the linguists and general public to see the richness of the Hualapai language. Consisting of six parts, the reference book: reviews how a writing system was selected for the Hualapai language; explains the alphabet used and how each letter is pronounced; discusses the basic structure of Hualapai sentences with attention to noun and verb usage; explains how different types of sentences are formed and what they mean; and presents a discussion on nouns and pronouns. Other information provided includes an analysis of verbs in detail, a discussion of verbal expressions, and an explanation of sound symbolism; types and formation of useful expressions (modal, habit and repetition, and degree) are discussed and ways in which sentences can be expanded into longer and more complex ones are explained. Two appendices provide the vocabulary words and grammatical morphemes (Hualapai-English and English-Hualapai) that appear in the book. (ERB)