The adverbial suffix –yosa– ‘supposedly’ takes the irrealis mood in the PAM (polarity-aspect-mood) suffix. Although –yosa– can be used with a neutral tone of voice, its lexical meaning encourages its use in less than sincere statements. The suffix –yosa– with a negative irrealis PAM suffix is translated ‘certainly’. Again, this suffix can be used sincerely, but is more often used sarcastically. If a Siye-speaker wishes to use –yosa– with a negative verb, she must use –yosaku-, the inverse form with the positive but still irrealis, PAM suffix.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosanane.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosanane.

His sibling supposedly ate the two chickens.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosakunane.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosahunane.

His sibling supposedly did not eat the two chickens.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosananeku.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosananehu.

His sibling certainly ate the two chickens.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosakunaneku.

Nusu imena ususo eyosoyosahunanehu.

His sibling certainly did not eat the two chickens.