a
The English word 'yes' is translated into Choctaw as a.
The word a is a particle used to indicate agreement or acceptance.
Meaning: word used to indicate agreement or acceptance (particle)
Which one should you use?
The particle a is used for agreement, while the related form a̱ is an interjection used to express pleasure, joy or great excitement, similar to the English 'yay' or 'whoo'.
Related words
Did you know?
- While a means 'yes', the Choctaw language often prefers to answer questions by repeating the verb used in the question rather than using a single particle.
- Choctaw is an agglutinative language, which means it typically creates long, complex words by stacking meanings together, making the tiny a a rare exception.
- Using a can function as a 'backchannel' to show you are listening, much like the English 'uh-huh' or 'mm-hmm'.
Examples in context
- A̱.Yes.This example shows the use of the form a to express agreement.Tatoeba #4572063 by Choctaw_Irish, translation #477086 by soweli_Elepanto
- A̱, voke nittak.Yes, I'll go.
Example conversation
Sarah asks David if he wants to go for a walk.
- SarahChi-sa loma hiza?Do you want to go for a walk?
- DavidA̱, chi-sa loma.Yes, I want to go.
- SarahChi-sa nita loma?Will you go now?
- DavidA̱, chi-sa nita loma.Yes, I will go now.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
