Re: Tzeltal's got only one preposition?!

Trebor Jung wrote:
>
> Unfortunately I can't answer your question--I'd like to know, though.
There
> actually is a word for "inside" at least--I overlooked this fact--given in
> the Tzeltal grammar at
> http://www.tzeltal.org/download/smith.txt
> (in section 3.2.8). Does anyone know of any other such words?

Tzotzil, a language closely related to Tzeltal, indeed only
has one preposition "ta". It can often be used by itself when
a more precise meaning is not needed:

   'Oy  chenek'  ta  p'in.
   [Exist  beans  PREP  pot]
  There are beans in the pot.

   Mi  'oy  ch'ivit  ta  lunex?
   [QUES  exist  market  PREP  Monday]
   Is there a market on Monday?

But there are many nouns indicating locations which can be
used in conjunction with "ta":

    'Oy  k'ib  ta  ba na.
   [Exist  water-jug  PREP  top  house]
   There is a water jug on top of the house

   Ta  pat  mok  li  tzebe.
   [PREP  back  fence  the  girl]
   The girl is behind the fence.

    ta  pat  mak  na
    [PREP  back  cover  house]
    behind the door of the house


--Ph. D.

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