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==Clauses== | ==Clauses== | ||
=== | ===Appellative clauses=== | ||
The simplest sentence type in Wena is an appellative clause, which consists of a single bare noun-phrase. The function of these clauses is to name the addressee. The meaning is the same as a clause beginning with "'''''Wa i'''''" 'You are' although in tone it is much more direct. The closest equivalent in English are the kind of vocative exclamations such as "Idiot!" or "Creep!" which are not used to gain attention but instead to make an assertion about the addressee. | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="1" | '''''Vwindu!''''' | |||
|- | |||
|vwindu | |||
|- | |||
| lowlife.scum | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="1" | ''(You are) lowlife scum!'' | |||
|} | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="1" | '''''Hyo!''''' | |||
|- | |||
|hyo | |||
|- | |||
| sweet.<small>E</small> | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="1" | ''You are sweet!'' | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="1" | Lit: ''Sweet person/thing!'' | |||
|} | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="3" | '''''Zyendu ya nggu!''''' | |||
|- | |||
|zyendu || ya || nggu | |||
|- | |||
| drop.<small>AG</small> || GEN || money | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="3" | ''You dropped some money!'' | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="3" | Lit: ''Money dropper!'' | |||
|} | |||
Direct imperatives take the form of appellatives beginning with '''''he''''' 'one who should' | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | '''''He zomba!''''' | |||
|- | |||
|he || zomba | |||
|- | |||
| should.<small>AG</small> || go_home.<small>AG</small> | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | ''(You should) go home!'' | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | Lit: ''One who should go home!'' | |||
|} | |||
In giving extremely direct forceful orders, the '''''he''''' is dropped and the order is told as if it were a fact, similar to orders that start with 'You will ...'. | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="3" | '''''Byebye hi bu!''''' | |||
|- | |||
|byebye || hi || bu | |||
|- | |||
| permanently_leave<small>AG</small> || DEF.<small>E</small> || island | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="3" | ''You will leave this island and never return!'' | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="3" | Lit: ''Permanent leaver of this island!'' | |||
|} | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="8" | '''''No u na i dyo zyi va nggu wo!''''' | |||
|- | |||
|no || u || na || i || dyo || zyi || va || nggu | |||
|- | |||
| give.<small>AG</small> || <small>ADJN</small> || 1s || <small>COP</small> || receive.<small>AG</small> || <small>GEN</small>.<small>DEF</small>.<small>E</small> || everything || money || | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="8" | ''You will give me all of your money!'' | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="8" | Lit: ''Person who gives me all of the money!'' | |||
|} | |||
===Predicate clauses=== | ===Predicate clauses=== | ||
===Subject predicate clauses=== | ===Subject predicate clauses=== | ||