61.4. Greeting and Leave Taking
Models
| 1) | ÍY¸ SȻÁĆEL. | ‘Good day.’ |
| 2) | ÁȽE¸ E SW̱ U¸ ÍY¸ OL¸? | ‘How are you?’ |
| 3) | U¸ ÍY¸ SEN | ‘I’m well.’ |
| 4) | TÁĆEL E SW̱? | ‘Did you get here?’ |
| 5) | TÁĆELNOṈET SEN. | ‘I managed to get here.’ |
| 6) | H͸ÁȻE. | ‘Goodbye.’ |
| 7) | HEL͸ÁȻE. | ‘Goodbye (to a group).’ |
| 8) | H͸ÁȻE, SI¸ÁM¸. | ‘Goodbye, respected one.’ |
| 9) | HELEYÁȻETW̱ SEN TŦE MEQ SÁN. | ‘I said goodbye to everyone.’ |
| 10) | HÍYÁȻETEL TŦE SṮELIṮḴEȽ. | ‘The children said goodbye to each other.’ |
‣ 1 There is no word for ‘hello’ in SENĆOŦEN. Traditionally, according to Elsie Claxton, when SENĆOŦEN speakers got together, they just started talking.
‣ 2 The most common greeting used today that everyone associated with SENĆOŦEN knows is shown in model 1. This is literally ‘good day’ and is borrowed from the English expression. You can also use ÍY¸ ȻEĆIL¸ ‘Good morning’ and ÍY¸ TÁṈEN ‘Good evening.’ Even the L1 elders use these today.
‣ 3 Model 2 shows a frequently heard greeting. This construction begins with ÁȽE¸, which usually means ‘be here.’ On a direct yes/no question about personal information, this ÁȽE¸ adds a degree of politeness. It is grammatical to ask U¸ ÍY; E SW̱? ‘Are you well?’ It is just felt to be more polite to add the ÁȽE¸. Another example of how it is used is ÁȽE¸ E SW̱ ḴÁL¸NOṈES? ‘Are you mad at me?’
‣ 4 Model 3 is the usual reply to the question in model 2. You can also use ÁN¸ SEN U¸ ÍY¸ ‘I’m very well.’
‣ 5 Models 4 and 5 is a friendly exchange frequently heard when a speaker enters a room where he or she was expected. A person already in the rooms asks model 4, and the person arriving says model 5. The literal question and answer seem to be asking and stating something completely obvious, and that is what makes this exchange a conventional greeting.
‣ 6 Models 6 is a word that is well known among students of SENĆOŦEN. Although there is no word for ‘hello,’ there is certainly a word for ‘goodbye.’ H͸ÁȻE is an intransitive verb that can be pluralized following the regular rules (§41), as shown in model 7. And SI¸ÁM¸ can always be added as a marker of respect, as shown in model 8.
‣ 7 Both singular and plural forms are often pronounced without the glottal stop as HÍÁȻE and HELÍÁȻE.
‣ 8 Although H͸ÁȻE is an intransitive verb, it never takes a first-person or second-person subject. It can, however, be made transitive with the causative (§40) suffix as in model 9. And it can also take the -TEL ‘each other’ reciprocal suffix as in model 10. The first-person and second-person suffixes can be used when the causative or reciprocal suffixes are added to H͸ÁȻE.
 | ÍY¸ SȻÁĆEL, SI¸ÁM¸! |
 | ÍY¸ SȻÁĆEL! ÁȽE¸ E SW̱ U¸ ÍY¸ OL¸? |
| ÁN¸ SEN U¸ ÍY¸. EMET SW̱ OL¸. |
| SQȺ Ȼ NE S¸EWE S YÁ¸. |
| H͸ÁȻE, SI¸ÁM¸. |
| H͸ÁȻE. |
61.4A. Translate the ḰEL¸NEȻEL. 61.4B. This section really needs no special exercise. Just use these phrases everyday with everyone you meet. |