40.3. Let causative: -TW̱
Models
| 1) | ESETW̱. | ‘Let me do it.’ |
| 2) | ȽNIṈEȽTW̱. | ‘Let us do it.’ |
| 3) | NEȻETW̱. | ‘You do it.’ |
| 4) | NIȽTW̱. | ‘Let him/her/them do it.’ |
| 5) | MEQTW̱. | ‘Let everyone do it.’ |
‣ 1 When the ‑TW̱ suffix is added to a focus pronoun (§15.2), the result is a verb that includes ‘let’ in the meaning, as in the examples. In the translation to English, the emphasis is on the pronoun.
‣ 2 The translation given is the usual one L1 speakers give for each of these models, but a more accurate translation would not have the ‘do it’ part. For example, model 1 is ‘Let it be me’ or ‘Allow me.’ Another way to translate these is with ‘be the one.’ Model 1 would be ‘I’ll be the one.’
‣ 3 An action can be added to any of the models. For example, ESETW̱ QENNEW̱ ‘Let me see it’ or better ‘Allow it to be me that sees it.’
‣ 4 A particular participant can be added to model 4. For example, NIȽTW̱ TŦE NE MÁN ‘Let it be my father (that does it)’ and NIȽTW̱ MÁLI ‘Let it be Mary.’
‣ 5 These ‘let’ causatives are really just a special case of the inanimate causative. They differ from the causatives in §40.2 in that these never take object suffixes and they always are imperatives with an understood second person subject—‘you let it be me.’
‣ 6 The ‘let’ causative can be added to a passive form. For example, ȻENET ‘take it’ has the passive ȻENETEṈ ‘be taken’ and the causative form ȻENETEṈTW̱ ‘let be taken’ as in ȻENETEṈTW̱ TŦE SWIU¸LES ‘Let the young man be taken (by the dancers).’
‣ 7 In the SENĆOŦEN dictionary, there are five entries for words with the ‑TW̱ ‘let’ causative following the ‑ET (§1.2) transitive suffix: HILETTW̱ ‘let drop, ’ ȻENETTW̱ ‘let take,’ QENETTW̱ ‘let look at,’ ȾELETTW̱ ‘let defeat,’ and XEĆTTW̱ ‘let figure out.’ These words all came from a list of words written down by the SENĆOŦEN teachers, and they make sense with respect to the general grammar of the language. However, no words like these appear in the hundreds of recorded narratives and conversations from L1 speakers, and, when asked, no L1 elders know these words or can interpret any words with the ‑ET transitivizer followed by the ‑TW̱ causative. The only exceptions are words with the ‑ET suffix that also have the passive, as described in point 6, above.
 | ESETW̱ ȻENÁṈESE. | ‘Let me help you.’ |
 | HÍ SW̱ KE! | ‘Thank you.’ |
| ÁN¸ U¸ XEM TI¸Á EN¸ SNEW̱EȽ. | ‘Your canoe is really heavy.’ |
| NEȻETW̱ SÁ¸ET TŦE HI¸U¸. | ‘You be the one to lift the bow.’ |
| 40.3A. Translate into English. 1. MEQTW̱ IȽEN. 2. ȽNIṈEȽTW̱ ŦE TOWEN. 3. NIȽTW̱ ŦIȽEṈ. 4. NIȽTW̱ TŦE NE SĆÁ¸ĆE¸. | 40.3B. Translate into SENĆOŦEN. 1. You go to town. 2. Let me eat. 3. Let us go inside. 4. Let your dog go home. |