ala•
{particle} {conjunction} 1. maybe, probably, could be
♢ ala• muralte•m {sentence} maybe I'll sing
♢ ala• tə̑j kaje•t? {sentence} perhaps you'll go?
♢ tə̑j luda•t ala•? {sentence} would you maybe read (to me)?
♢ ala• o•gə̑m {sentence} maybe I won't
2. hardly, doubtful, who knows
♢ tu•do tole•š mo? - ala• {sentence} is (s)he coming? - who knows
3. (emphatic particle)
♢ šone•t mo tə̑j mə̑•jə̑m ala•? {sentence} well, are you thinking about me?
4. sometimes... sometimes, either... or, now... now
♦ ala• nij, ala• šü•rtö {phrase} that remains to be seen, it could go either way
♢ ala• jür jüre•š, ala• lum lume•š {sentence} sometimes it rains, sometimes it snows
5. or
♢ erla• tola•m ala• u•ke, om pa•le {sentence} I'll come tomorrow or I won't, I don't know
♢ tü•nö lum ala• jür, palaša•t ok lij {sentence} it's raining or snowing outside - it's hard to say
♦ ta•č́e ala• erla• {adverb} today or tomorrow
6. about, roughly
♦ ala• kum ij lije•š {adverb} about three years ago
♦ ala• šü•dö {adverb} roughly a hundred
