12.1. ‘Who?’: cán
| cán ʔay̓ cə q̓áʔŋi. | ‘Who is that girl?’ |
| cán ʔuč cə q̓áʔŋi. | ‘Who is that girl?’ |
| cán ʔay̓ či kʷánəŋət. | ‘Who runs?’ |
► 1 The word cán means ‘who,’ and it also can mean ‘someone.’
► 2 When cán is put first in the sentence, it is usually interpreted as meaning ‘who.’ The little word ʔay̓ or ʔuč is used to make sure it is understood as a question. It is not absolutely necessary in these questions, but speakers usually use it. Either ʔay̓ or ʔuč may be used, but not both.
► 3 Note that when asking who is doing something, the ‘not particular, not specific’ article či is used, as in cán ʔay̓ či hiyáʔ ‘Who goes?’
► 4 If the one doing the action is not visible, you use kʷi, as in cán ʔay̓ kʷi hiyáʔ ‘Who goes?’
► 5 The past and future markers go where they usually do, if needed, right after the first word: cán yaʔ ʔay̓ kʷi hiyáʔ ‘Who went?’; cán caʔ ʔay̓ či hiyáʔ ‘Who will go?’
► 6 When asking ‘What is your name?’ in Klallam, cán is used, so it is literally ‘Who is your name?’ cán ʔay̓ či ʔən̓sná.
► 7 You can use cán as a sentence by itself to mean ‘who is it?’
► 8 Note that cán is stressed. The particles ʔay̓ and ʔuč are never stressed.
► 9 New vocabulary: sná ‘a name’; nát ‘name someone or something’; nátəŋ ‘be named by someone’; nə́čəŋ 'laugh.'
 | cán ʔay̓ cə swéʔwəs. | ‘Who is that boy?’ |
 | níɬ kʷi nəsxʷtáwnq. | ‘It’s my older brother.’ |
| cán ʔay̓ cə sčáʔčaʔs. | ‘Who is his friend?’ |
| ʔáwənə nəsx̣čít. | ‘I don’t know.’ |