Laefêvëši/Pronouns

Laefêvëši has many types of pronouns.

Substantival pronoun

Personal pronouns



Reflexive and reciprocal pronouns

Other pronouns

Combinations

Indefinite-relative

The combined indefinite-relative pronouns are pronouns made from an indefinite and a relative pronoun. Pronouns are inflected by case and therefore cannot be the object and the subject of two different verbs at the same time. The usual construction is to use two pronouns separated by a comma, thus forming two clauses. With combined indefinite-relative pronouns, it becomes possible to use a single pronoun which is both the object and the subject of two different verbs at the same time.

Example:

  • How can you miss something (that) you never had?
  • Váj fíllallén tés, sók énnanaiŋe?
  • Váj fíllallén téssok énnanaiŋe?

Personal-summative

This kind of pronouns correspond to English we all, you all, they all pronouns. In contrary to other personal pronouns, personal-summative pronouns do not have a verbal form.

Adjectival pronouns

Personal possessive pronouns

Reflexive possessive pronoun

The forms of the reflexive possessive pronoun are:

  • long: nîjiri
  • short: nîu-
  • vocalic: nîj-
  • non-vocalic: njî-

Non-personal adjectival pronouns

Others

The clitic forms are normally pronounced simply as long vowels, even though they are written as two. However, they can also be written as a single vowel with an accute above it - they are pronounced long but unstressed (secondary stress may still apply).

Demonstrative and summative pronouns