Um frustrativo tupi: exemplos de tipɛ em ka’apor

Abstract

This article examines the frustrative enclitic tipɛ in the Ka’apor language, a member of the Tupi family. First, it surveys frustrative markers in Old Tupi and related languages, highlighting different morphemes and their semantic and pragmatic functions. It then analyzes the distribution and usage of tipɛ, exploring its canonical role in marking unfulfilled events and its interaction with negation, future tense, and counterfactual constructions. Additionally, it examines its evaluative and concessive uses, as well as its role as a pragmatic mitigator in requests. One of the most innovative aspects discussed is the use of tipɛ to encode altered perception in mythological narratives, revealing a misalignment between the protagonist’s experience and shared reality. By describing these uses in context, this study aims to contribute to a more detailed understanding of frustrativity in Ka’apor and to its cross-linguistic comparison with other Indigenous languages of South America.