kozètètá ma (63_Social Formulae (Greetings & Everyday Speech))


kozètètá ma

kozètètá ma

Grammatical function

  • Type: Verbal Idiom (Apology Formula)
  • Meaning: “I’m sorry.”, “I apologize.”

Usage Note

Literally “(I) hold regret.”

  • Follows the possession-idiom pattern of sháŕo ma: the speaker carries the kozètètá (regret, “past-hurt”) as a possessed burden.
  • Formal: kozètètá ma, cőkă. (“I hold regret — please understand.“)
  • Reply (forgiveness): nèŕa. (“It is nothing.”) or xůxůkă. (“Please forget it.” — from xůxů, to forget).

Structure

[Subject (dropped)] kozètètá ma

Pronunciation

IPA: /kozətətɑ ma/

Pitch Accent

  • Morae: ko · zè · tè · tá | ma
  • Pattern: H · L · L · L | H
  • Class: phrase

Example sentence

Example 1

  • Asaxi: kozètètá ma — to wo då no shěso zènádao.
  • English: “I’m sorry — I did not give you the book.” (då no = DAT 2SG)
  • Polish: x

Etymology

kozètètá (regret, remorse) + ma (to have).

Synonyms

Antonyms