Shipibo Foundations · Module 5: The Suffix World · Lesson 1 of 5

Doing something all the way through

By the end you can say that something was done all the way through.

3 new words · about 8 minutes

Bewa bewashamani! Singing, excellently! — Chána is with you for Module 5.

Shipibo builds meaning by stacking suffixes onto roots like puzzle pieces — the teachers called them special effects. The first and most felt: -yon-, meaning all the way through, to the max. It always sits in the middle of the verb — root before it, more suffixes after. Kanoyontaana: connected — fully. Not halfway, not almost. No corner left out.
All the way through
-yon-to the max, no corner leftKanoyontaana — connected, fully
Culture note. The teachers' image: this is like showing up fully committed. The yon is the difference between doing something and meaning it.
✓ sourced recorded class 2 01:49–01:52 · nothing invented

The words

Read each one. The next screen hides the meaning so you can test yourself.

-yon-completely, to the max (middle of the verb)
kanoyontaanahaving fully connected
soayonbanonI will clear — completely

Cover the meaning

Say it before you flip. Be honest — "again" brings it back.

tap to reveal
tap to flip back

In a sentence

Try translating each line yourself before you tap.

Kano yontana.
tap to translate
Having connected, fully.
En Tenayonbanon.
tap to translate
I will illuminate — completely.
Try it. Say kanoyontaana slowly, feeling the yon in the middle: kano-YON-taana. The nasal hum is the completeness.

Check yourself

-yon- means…
Where does -yon- sit?
Chána
✓

Lesson complete

Chána approves — Jakonshaman!

You can now say that something was done all the way through.

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