# yata + kita



## Qcumber

Hello. Generally *yátà* is translated as "it seems, apparently, perhaps", and occurs in sentences that do not describe the first person. 

I am puzzled by *yátà* in this sentence:
*Hindî yátà kitá náúunawáan, Díko!* 

I cannot translate it as:
1) It seems I don’t understand you, second eldest brother!

With "perhaps" it sounds better, but is not satisfactory.
2) Perhaps I don’t understand you, second eldest brother!

Yet the context (see long quotation below)does not support this interpretation. In such circumstances, one would rather say:
3) You don’t seem to understand me, second eldest brother!

Now the focus pattern of *máunawáan* prevents it: *ikáw ay máunawáan kó > máunawáan kitá* "me to understand you" not *"you to understand me".

What’s your opinion? 

QUOTATION

"Diyos ko!" ang pabiglang bulalas ni Don Elpidio na sinabayan ng tindig. "Diyata't ikaw? ... Kung gayo'y ikaw ang umagaw sa kaniyang pinaghirapang lupa! At ikaw ang patuloy na bumubusabos sa ating kapatid hangga ngayon!" 
"Hindi basta naging akin ang Putintubig, Diko! Nagdaan iyan sa batas [sic: iyan batas] at sa mga hukuman!" 
"Ow! Kapwa kita abugado, Pilo!" May ismid at darag sa tingig ni Don Elpidio. "Huwag mo nang banggitin sa akin ang batas at hukuman!" aniya pa, at salikod_kamay na nagyao't dito sa bulwagan. "Walang hindi nagagawa ang salapi — napipilipit ang batas — napaglalaruan ang hukuman!" 
"Pero, ..." ang parang di_maubus_isipin at kunut_noong pasubali ni Don Pilo, "hindi yata kita nauunawaan, Diko! Kilala ko bawat isa sa aking mga ingkilino sa Putintubig! Wala isa man sa kanila, matitiyak ko sa'yo, ma may pangalang ‘Ramon,’ at lalong walang ‘Ramon Tagle’ na siyang tunay at buong pangalan ng Kuya!"


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## epistolario

Qcumber said:


> Generally *yátà* is translated as "it seems, apparently, perhaps", and occurs in sentences that do not describe the first person.
> 
> I am puzzled by *yátà* in this sentence:
> *Hindî yátà kitá náúunawáan, Díko!*



You don't necessarily have to follow the definitions given in the dictionary because it really depends on the context. 

Also, when you said *second eldest brother*, it doesn't sound natural and it seems like a transliteration. Do you really use such term in calling an elder brother or do you simply call him *brother* in English? 

Regarding your question in your example, it is the speaker who thinks that he doesn't seem to understand the person he was speaking to. On the other hand, if it was the reverse, that is, the speaker thinks that the he doesn't seem to be understood by the person he was speaking to, he would say something like this: 

*Hindi mo (you) yata ako (me) nauunawaan, Diko!*

And *nauunawaan* is in the [simple] present tense [in this context] and *maunawaan* sounds like an infinitive which doesn't seem appropriate.


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## Qcumber

ffrancis said:


> And *nauunawaan* is in the [simple] present tense [in this context] and *maunawaan* sounds like an infinitive which doesn't seem appropriate.


Thanks a lot, FFrancis.
I don't understand what you mean by the passage above. In the sentence, the verb is in the form *náúunawáan* not *máunawáan*.


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## Qcumber

By the way, do you know other occurrences of *yátà* with the first person? I still find its presence in the sentence I quoted rather unusual.


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## epistolario

Qcumber said:


> By the way, do you know other occurrences of *yátà* with the first person? I still find its presence in the sentence I quoted rather unusual.


 
The adverb *yata* works with _any _person in the nominative case. It is the equivalent of *perhaps* or *maybe* in English. But the translation will depend on context: 

_Ako yata ang tinutukoy mo, ah._ 
It seems that you are referring to me.

_Ako yata ang gumawa nito, ah. _
It seems that I was the one who did this [I don't remember]. 

_Ikaw yata_ ... (singular you) 
_Siya yata_ ... (he or she)
_Kami yata_ ... (we)
_Kayo yata_ ... (plural you) 
_Sila yata_ ... (they) 

And all of them are correct and natural.


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## Qcumber

Thank you FFrancis. In the sentence I quoted, and given its context, "perhaps" or a synonym wouldn't fit in English, hence my puzzlement.


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