Signals that an action verb it inflects has an agent or sometimes an actor role relationship to a substantive, describing a specific action.
See sections 7.15.1.1 and 7.15.2. This affix occurs alone or in combination with either -an or -on. -an in this combination indicates either a location reference, place or time role relationship with another substantive. -on indicates that the agent or actor is caused to act. 1) Occurring alone. When puɴ- occurs alone (without a suffix -an or -on) non-past action is indicated by a prefix m-, past action by n-. The resultant forms are muɴ- and nuɴ-. A verb with the prefix muɴ- occurs as a) The head of a substantive phrase. The substantive phrase denotes a specific or general purposeful agent or sometimes a specific or general actor.
Din nuntāmuh nan kūlha ya na'pot ti immudan.
Those who worked on the roadway were wet because it rained.
b) The head of a sentence comment. The sentence topic, expressed or implied, denotes a specific or general actor or a specific or general purposeful agent.
Umuyda munhī'ug nan lāman hinan liyang hi un umudan.
Wild pigs go to shelter themselves in caves when it rains.
c) Head of a modifying phrase following an1.
Na'pot nan linalā'i an nuntāmu.
The men who worked got wet.
2) Occurring with a location reference, place or time suffix -an. Non-past action is not marked, puntamūan The time or place (someone) will work (or are working); past action is marked by a prefix n-, nuntamūan The time or place (someone) worked. A verb inflected with puɴ-an occurs only as the head of a substantive phrase marked by a determiner or head of a modifying phrase following an1. It is followed by a genitive noun, pronoun or verbal substantive.
Mi'id inila' di puntamūan nan linalā'i.
I don't know the place where the men will work.
Anuud nin di pun'anupanyu?
When, I wonder, will be the time when you will hunt wild pigs?
See chart, sec. 7.8.1. 3) Occurring with a suffix -on to indicate a causative agent. In this relationship a genitive has a causative agent relationship with the verb inflected with this affix and another substantive has a primary role relationship as agent or actor with the verb, see sec. 7.17.3. See also sec. 7.5.1.
Three affixes, paN-, puɴ-, and -um- signal various kinds of actors or agents. Although there are numerous exceptions, when these affixes inflect a majority of stems, they exhibit contrasts as follows: 1) Contrast between puɴ- and paN-. With stems beginning with an initial consonant, l, m, n, ng, w or y, only puɴ- occurs as a prefix to signal actor or agent. Thus with these stems there is no contrast. puɴ-, and more rarely -um- signals the kinds of actors and agents signaled by paN- elsewhere. These two affixes contrastively signal: a) a specific actor or agent with puɴ- in contrast to an actor or agent engaged in a general, often complex event with paN-.
Munhīgiddah nan ūma ya unda +munpūul.
They will clear the upland field (of vegetation) before they burn off the field.
Mangumada nan tataguh mā'et.
The people will construct a new upland field tomorrow.
Making an upland field is a complex event, see Appendix 1, Construction of an Upland Field. Typically, a specific agent with puɴ- is involved with one and often several other role participants, especially patient, goal, theme, instrument. mun'akud Scoop out cooked rice; mumbāha Read a book; munhanul Tell a joke; muntāap Winnow rice hulls from the grain. A general agent with paN- involved with other role participants is uncommon and when it is, the other role participant is usually unexpressed or not specifically identified. Mangahāwah w̱lig. Alig will get married, in contrast with Mun'ahāwa da w̱lig ay Rosa. Alig and Rosa will marry each other; Mun'ānap tu'uh nan manu'an natila'. Let's look for the chicken that was lost. Mangānap tu'uh lūta. Let's look for land. b) an actor or agent directly involved in an action with puɴ- in contrast to an actor or agent indirectly involved in an action.
Mun'ahu' nan baluy.
The house is smoking.
Mangahu' nan baluy.
The house is smoky.
2) Contrast between puɴ- and -um-. Both puɴ- and -um- signal a specific actor, but -um- generally indicates an actor performing an inherent or instinctive act, or an act for which an object is designed, not clearly volitional, whereas an actor signalled by puɴ- acts intentionally. In this situation an aptative component with -um- is common.
Umanup nan ukkon Hiddum.
Hiddum's puppy can bark.
Mun'anup nan kāhun nan manganup.
The dog of the ones who are hunting is barking.
With -um- an agent acts casually, unintentionally or surreptitiously; with puɴ- an agent acts purposefully, deliberately. An aptative component with -um- is common.
Umapuy nan tapīgu.
Matches burn (things).
Nun'apuy nan babaih nan galut.
The woman burned the trash.
An actor developing into a particular condition or a non-animate object performing an action, is almost always signalled by -um-. humulit To become many.
Hum'aw nan tuyup hinan dumālan.
The wind will make the ones who walk cold.
3) In transitive constructions, paN- or -um- besides signalling a primary role relationship of actor or agent with the verb, also indicates that the substantive occurring as referent is indefinite.
Uminum'ah danum.
Drink some water.
In addition, puɴ-, also signals two or more actors acting reciprocally.
Nunhugi da Oltāgon ay Būgan.
Oltāgon and Būgan quarrelled with each other.
When puɴ- has this function, CV- indicates multiple actors. Munhuhugi nan linalā'i. The three or more men quarrelled with each other.
The other two affixes do not have this function.