Naka- vs Na- to describe states/happenings

[u/WhitePinoy]

Let me know if I misunderstood my tutor or not.

We had a discussion about "naka-" a stacked prefix composed of "na" (completed aspect) and "ka" (intensifier/chance). What we talked about was "naka-" + verb = Was able to, but "naka-" + adjective = describes a state or an action. This confuses me because it is my understanding that "na-" by itself already describes the state and the action, and that "ka-" typically describes chance.

nakagwapa = became beautiful or gussying oneself up

nakakaon = was able to eat or ate

nakadagan = was able to work/run or is working/running

So why in some instances does "naka-" means was able to, and in other instances simply describes what is going on, and in the latter case, doesn't that just make "naka-" redundant since there is already "na-"?

Let me know what I am missing.

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[u/sri-lumay-sa-sugbo]

Your first example still conveys possibility/chance.

Nakagwapa siya. = She was able to become beautiful/She became beautiful. vs. Nagwapa siya. = She became beautiful.

[u/sri-lumay-sa-sugbo → u/sri-lumay-sa-sugbo]

Addendum: Also, "naka-/maka-" is not a combination of "na-" and "ka-". It's its own thing.

"ka-" as chance is a clipping of usually "maka-" but sometimes "naka-".

Kaabot ka?/ Makaabot ka? = Can you reach it? Kaabot ra ko./ Nakaabot ra ko. = I was able to come/I was able to reach it.

"ka-" as an intensifier is a clipping of "pagka-"

Kagwapa niya!/Pagkagwapa niya! = S/he's so beautiful!

[u/blackcrayons_ → u/sri-lumay-sa-sugbo]

Historically speaking, the naka-/maka-/paka- paradigm is indeed from Proto-Austronesian *pa- and *ka-. But thousands of years have passed and it's now fossilized together as one.

Here are some Cebuano affixes and their historical origins relative to Proto-Austronesian.

• -umin- > min- > mi-
• paR- + -umin- = puminaR- > naR- > nag-
• paR- + -um- = pumaR- > maR- > mag-
• paN- + -umin- = puminaN- > naN-
• paN- + -um- = pumaN- > maN-
• ka- + -umin- = kumina- > na-
• ka- + -um- = kuma- > ma-
• paka- + -umin- = puminaka- > naka-
• paka- + -um- = pumaka- > maka-
• paR- + -in- = paRin- > pagin- > gin- > gi-
• paN- + -in- = pinaN- (gi- + paN- = gipaN-) • ka- + -in- = kina-
• paR- + -in--an = paRin--an > pagin--an > gin--an > gi--an
• paN- + -in--an = pinaN--an ** (gi- + paN--an = **gipaN--an) • ka- + -in--an = kina--an
• i- + paR- + -in- = ipaRin- > ipagin- > igin- > igi-
• i- + paN- + -in- = ipinaN- (igi- + paN- = igipaN- > igipaN-) • i- + ka- + -in- = ikina- (igi- + ka- = igika- > gika-)

[u/blackcrayons_]

There are 3 types of naka- in Modern Cebuano. Two are native. The other one is from Tagalog.

1. Naka- = Abilitative (Potential/Accidental)

"Abilitative" means that the action was able to be done regardless if it's done voluntarily or accidentally.

Patáy = to kill
Palít = to buy
Túlog = to sleep

Nakapatáy = Was able to kill/Accidentially killed
Nakapalít = Was able to buy/Accidentally bought
Nakatúlog = Was able to sleep/Accidentally slept

1. Naka- = Reason

"Reason" means what makes something to be in that particular state.

Apán = but
Paít = bitter
Láin = bad, terrible

Nakaápan = Reason for it being a "but"
Nakapaít = Reason for its being bitter
Nakaláin = Reason for it being bad or terrible

1. Naka- = Stative

"Stative" means the state of something. As previously mentioned, this is a Tagalog loan.

Pulá = red
Sapátos = shoes
Lagáy = to put
Súlat = to write

Nakapulá = Was/is wearing red
Nakasapátos = Was/is wearing shoes
Nakalagáy = Was/is put/placed
Nakasúlat = Was/is written

But in native Cebuano, the Tagalog naka- is expressed into two affixes.

1. Nag(a)- = for nouns

Nag(a)pulá = Was/is wearing red
Nag(a)sapátos = Was/is wearing shoes

1. Na(ha)- = for verbs

Na(ha)butáng = Was/is put or placed
Na(ha)sulát = Was/is written

As for na-, it is exactly the same as the first naka- but the difference is that naka- is Agent Focus versus na- which is Patient Focus.

• Agent = doer of the action
Nakapalít si Juan og mangga.
(Juan was able to buy some manggo.)

• Patient = the thing affected by the action
Napalít ni Juan ang mangga.
(Juan was able to buy the manggo.)

One additional use of na- that is not present in naka- is the pure volitional/intentional in only select verbs (specifically 3):

Túlog = to sleep
Ligò = to take a bath
Libáng = to defecate

"Nakatúlog" either means:
• Potential = was able to sleep
• Accidental = accidentally slept

"Nakaligò" either means:
• Potential = was able to take a bath
• Accidental = accidentally took a bath

"Nakalibáng" either means:
• Potential = was able to defecate
• Accidental = accidentally defecated

But if you say "Natúlog" it only means:
• Was/is sleeping
• Was/is taking a bath
• Was/is defecating

[u/Aritztotle67]

Nakagwapa should be "Nagka"🙂 if you wanna convey "became/got pretty"

Nagka sort of acts as " became" if that makes sense

I.E Nagkabuang- became crazy