In verb forms, where the object is 3rd plural human, the dual marker is used instead, for reasons of politeness.
Kiowa has various person-number prefix paradigms. In addition to an intransitive paradigm and a transitive paradigm (marking subject and object), there is what Watkins calls a patient:object paradigm, used for ditransitive verbs. These mark person-number of the agent and patient (goal, beneficiary), both of which are obligatorily animate, and number of the object, which is obligatorily inanimate.
Fragments of the transitive and the patient:object paradigms are given below (showing only singular subject/agent/patient values):
|
transitive
|
|||||
|
subject
|
object
|
||||
| singular | inverse | dual | plural | human plural | |
| 1SG | gyà‑ | dé‑ | nèn‑ | gyàt‑ | dè‑ |
| 2SG | à‑ | bé‑ | nèn‑ | bát‑ | bè‑ |
| 3SG | Ø | é‑ | ę̀‑ | á‑ | èm‑ |
|
patient:object
|
|||||
|
agent
|
patient |
object
|
|||
| singular | inverse | dual | plural | ||
| SG/Ø | 1SG | ę́‑ | mɔ́‑ | né‑ | yą́‑ |
| 1SG/Ø | 2SG | gyá‑ | gɔ́‑ | nén‑ | yán‑ |
| (elsewhere) | 2SG | gɔ́‑ | gɔ́t‑ | dét‑ | gyát‑ |
| 1SG | 3SG | gyá‑ | gɔ́‑ | nén‑ | yán‑ |
| 2/3SG/Ø | 3SG | á‑ | ɔ́‑ | én‑ | án‑ |
The patient:object paradigm is associated with two mismatches, both of them involving dual object marking.
A mismatch occurs in the patient:object paradigm where the object is 3rd plural animate. Watkins writes
The problem confronting the speaker is how to refer to a 3rd plural human object in a paradigm which only allows for inanimate plural. 3rd inverse could be used because it is ambiguous w.r.t. animacy, but it has a slightly disrespectful connotation when applied to adults.' (p. 146).
Instead, the dual object form is used:
| mà:yóp | nén‑háygya‑dɔ̀:... |
| woman.INV | 2SG.P.DU.OBJ‑learn‑be |
| 'You know women...' | |
| xmɔ́: | né‑khyándè‑t'ɔ̀: |
| nearly | 1SG.P.DU.OBJ‑scatter‑FUT |
| 'I'll scatter them (by shooting into the crowd).' | |
(both examples p. 146)
Watkins, Laurel J. 1984. A grammar of Kiowa. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.