Hmong (L1): Contextual Cues

English speakers rely on the cues within a word or within a sentence (e.g., -ed in played indicating past tense). In Hmong, however, the cues beyond the sentence level have been used to indicate the meaning, as in the following conversation:

 

Niam Paj:  Kuv hnov hais tias nej niam pog tuaj xyuas nej nov puas yog?

I hear that you mother-in-law (husband’s mother) come visit you really is right?

I heard that your mother-in-law came to visit you, right?

 

Niam Ci:  Aub, nws twb rov mus tau ib as thiv no lawm o. 

Oh, he/she already return go already one week here already [Particle – emphasizing that she is gone already].

Oh, she already left a week ago.

 

Niam Paj:   Nws tuaj thaum twg lawm es nws ntseem siv rov qab lawm na? 

He/she come when when already that she already return back already really? 

When did she come that she has left already? 

 

Niam Ci: Twb tuaj tau ib hli ua ntej nws mus ho. 

Already come for one month before she go [particle—emphasizing that she has been here a long time]

She came for one month before she left. 

 

 

         There is no marker indicating time for a verb (i.e., no past tense form) in Hmong. For example, there is tense marker for mus [go]. The time of action is indicated in the contextual cues (e.g., twb [already], lawm [already], and ib as thiv [a week]).

 

         There is no marker indicating the gender of the pronoun. For example, nws can mean he or she. The gender is understood in the cues (beyond the sentence level) in the context, such as niam pog [mother-in-law].