[NA FAMILY]
Morphological Family Entry
Type: Aspectual–Resultative Morpheme Family
Core Semantic Domain:
Realization • Attainment • Transition • Resultant State
Definition
The Boie’nen sequence na occurs in several grammatical forms that are historically related but synchronically distinct.
Although identical in pronunciation, these forms differ in morphological status, syntactic distribution, and grammatical function.
Together they form the NA Family, a network of morphemes associated with realization, attainment, completion, and resultant state.
The family includes:
| Form | Status | Primary Meaning |
| (na) | particle | already, now, completion |
| [na-] | prefix | attainment, realization, accidental result |
| [naka-] | prefix | attained capability or resultant state |
| [nakaka-] | prefix | continuing capability or resultant condition |
| [nag-] | prefix | realized action/event |
| [-in-] | infix | completed event |
| [-omin-] | infix | realized actor-focused event |
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Core Semantic Theme
Across all members, the NA Family encodes:
rather than simple past-present-future time reference.
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Structural Contrast
| Form | Morphological Status | Primary Function |
| (na) | free particle | discourse completion |
| [na-] | bound prefix | state attainment |
| [naka-] | bound prefix | attained state/capability |
| [nakaka-] | bound prefix | continuing attained capability |
| [nag-] | bound prefix | realized action |
| [-in-] | infix | completed event |
| [-omin-] | infix | realized actor event |
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Illustrative Layering
Boie’nen permits multiple members of the family to occur in the same expression.
nabosog na
na- + bosog + (na)
na-
= became full
(na)
= already
Meaning:
“has already become full”
“is already full”
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nae-tew na
na- + etew + (na)
Meaning:
“has already become severed”
“is already severed”
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Notes
The NA Family demonstrates that phonological identity does not imply grammatical identity.
The particle (na) and the prefix [na-] are separate grammatical elements despite their identical form.
The particle marks completion relative to discourse.
The prefix marks attainment or realization within the event itself.
This distinction is central to Boie’nen aspectual structure.
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