Reciprocal ag-

Doing Something to Each Other

Level 3

Reciprocal constructions combine participants in the subject; some additionally use -inn-.

How It Works

Constantino distinguishes two reciprocal constructions. Replacing associative maki- with ag- can combine actor and associate into a dual subject, as in conversation. Mutual transitive constructions additionally use -inn- or -inn-…-an. The attested completed form nagkinnita expresses two participants looking at each other.

A coordinated pair supplies the participants in these dual constructions. The source separately describes CV copying requiring a plural subject. That pluralizing pattern does not itself make an action reciprocal: several children running need not act on one another.

The dictionary also licenses agkabil with a plural subject for fighting one another. Its reciprocal reading belongs to that lexical construction. The examples use nag- for completed events. Learn each construction’s participant requirements rather than extending the dual pattern to arbitrary groups. An ordinary ag- verb can describe an individual action, so the prefix alone supplies insufficient evidence for a mutual reading.

Examples (3)

  1. Nagtungtung ni Elena ken ni Tomas idi rabii.

    Elena and Tomas conversed last night.

    The coordinated pair combines actor and associate in subject position.

  2. Nagkinnita ni Rosa ken ni Ben.

    Rosa and Ben looked at each other.

    The mutual construction makes each participant the other’s target.

  3. Nagkabil dagiti ubbing idiay kalsada.

    The children fought one another in the street.

    The dictionary licenses the reciprocal kabil construction with a plural subject.

How It Connects

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Reciprocal ag-Level 3Doing Something to Each Other

Learn This First

Use an established reciprocal construction with its participating pair or group.