Speaker-Hearer Status. The assertive or supplicative status of the speaker toward the hearer is indicated by terminal contours of pitch and by status enclitics following a finite verb.

The terminal contour indicates one of two communicative modes:

• Declaration, the default mode, implies a mildly assertive status of the speaker toward the hearer, as indicated by the fully dropped pitch of the terminal contour ..
• Request implies a mild supplication toward the hearer. Two types of request are indicated: confirmational ('yes' or 'no'), by rising pitch (?), and explanatory ('how come?'), by partially dropped pitch (?!).

A status enclitic supplements, augments, or diminishes the status relationship indicated by the terminal contour:

• -â indicates a confirmational request.
• -e indicates an explanatory request.
• -o indicates dominant assertion towards a male addressee.
• -e indicates dominant assertion towards a female addressee.
• -oa indicates supplicative assertion towards a male addressee.
• -ea indicates supplicative assertion towards a female addressee.
• -âa indicates a supplicative confirmational request.

The following table illustrates the possible combinations of terminal contours and status enclitics.