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Ngehu (view source)

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The lexicon is made up entirely of around 190 syllabic roots with a single basic meaning and these are combined in various ways to make more precise meanings. For example, the root '''''zwa''''' has the core meaning of 'water' but may, when qualified by other roots, refer to other liquids. '''''Ni''''' means, as its central meaning, 'air' or 'gas' but may also mean 'quality' or 'characteristic' (much as the word 'air'does in English as in 'an air of superiority') or simply anything that is invisible. Together these roots may be combined to form '''''zwani''''' 'rain' (a type of water defined by something to do with air, namely that it falls from it) or '''''nizwa''''' 'cloud, fog, mist' (a type of air defined by something to do with water, namely that it is filled with it).
The lexicon is made up entirely of around 190 syllabic roots with a single basic meaning and these are combined in various ways to make more precise meanings. For example, the root '''''zwa''''' has the core meaning of 'water' but may, when qualified by other roots, refer to other liquids. '''''Ni''''' means, as its central meaning, 'air' or 'gas' but may also mean 'quality' or 'characteristic' (much as the word 'air'does in English as in 'an air of superiority') or simply anything that is invisible. Together these roots may be combined to form '''''zwani''''' 'rain' (a type of water defined by something to do with air, namely that it falls from it) or '''''nizwa''''' 'cloud, fog, mist' (a type of air defined by something to do with water, namely that it is filled with it).


= Phonology =
== Phonology ==
Because of the differing oral anatomy of the Hu, the exact phonology of Lo Ngehu is difficult to replicate accurately in the non-Hu mouth. The underbite and tusks (protruding lower canines) of the Hu make it difficult for them to pronounce labiodental sounds such as /f/ and /v/ in English, in which the lower lip touches the upper teeth. They do, however, possess a dentolabial sound /v͆/, whereby the upper lip makes contact with the lower teeth. Non-Hu learners of Lo Ngehu will be perfectly understood pronouncing this sound labiodentally. Likewise, the rounding of the vowels /o/ and /u/ as well as the consonant /w/ is not identical to the rounding performed with non-Hu lips. These differences are small enough to more or less be ignored by the non-Hu learner of Hu.  
Because of the differing oral anatomy of the Hu, the exact phonology of Lo Ngehu is difficult to replicate accurately in the non-Hu mouth. The underbite and tusks (protruding lower canines) of the Hu make it difficult for them to pronounce labiodental sounds such as /f/ and /v/ in English, in which the lower lip touches the upper teeth. They do, however, possess a dentolabial sound /v͆/, whereby the upper lip makes contact with the lower teeth. Non-Hu learners of Lo Ngehu will be perfectly understood pronouncing this sound labiodentally. Likewise, the rounding of the vowels /o/ and /u/ as well as the consonant /w/ is not identical to the rounding performed with non-Hu lips. These differences are small enough to more or less be ignored by the non-Hu learner of Hu.  


== Consonants ==
=== Consonants ===
All consonants of Lo Ngehu are voiced aside from /h/.
All consonants of Lo Ngehu are voiced aside from /h/.


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The semivowel /j/ has a palatalising effect on the preceding consonant, most notably blending with /d <sup><small>n</small></sup>d z/ to become [d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>d͡ʒ ʒ] respectively. The sequences /hj/ and /hw/ tend to be pronounced [ʍ] and [ç] respectively.
The semivowel /j/ has a palatalising effect on the preceding consonant, most notably blending with /d <sup><small>n</small></sup>d z/ to become [d͡ʒ <sup><small>n</small></sup>d͡ʒ ʒ] respectively. The sequences /hj/ and /hw/ tend to be pronounced [ʍ] and [ç] respectively.


==Vowels==
===Vowels===




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The high vowels /i u/ have non-syllabic allophones, [i̯~j] and [u̯~w] respectively. These appear when these vowels are unstressed and following another vowel.
The high vowels /i u/ have non-syllabic allophones, [i̯~j] and [u̯~w] respectively. These appear when these vowels are unstressed and following another vowel.


== Phonotactics ==
=== Phonotactics ===
Phonemically, only open syllables are allowed in Lo Ngehu, with the maximum structure being '''CCV''' whereby the second consonant must be a semivowel.  
Phonemically, only open syllables are allowed in Lo Ngehu, with the maximum structure being '''CCV''' whereby the second consonant must be a semivowel.  
Phonetically, the nasal segment of a prenasalised stop may close the preceding syllable. In addition, the non-syllabic allophones of the vowels /i u/ may also occur in the coda of a syllable, creating phonetic syllables such as [dwejm] in ''dwe i mbwe'' "They are dangerous."
Phonetically, the nasal segment of a prenasalised stop may close the preceding syllable. In addition, the non-syllabic allophones of the vowels /i u/ may also occur in the coda of a syllable, creating phonetic syllables such as [dwejm] in ''dwe i mbwe'' "They are dangerous."
The sequences /ji/ and /wu/ do not occur except in the sequences /dji zji <small><sup>n</sup></small>dji/ where the palatalisation of the preceding consonant enables the /j/ to be distinguished.
The sequences /ji/ and /wu/ do not occur except in the sequences /dji zji <small><sup>n</sup></small>dji/ where the palatalisation of the preceding consonant enables the /j/ to be distinguished.


== Prosody ==
=== Prosody ===
==Word classes==
===Nouns===
====Monosyllabic nouns====
====Echo nouns====
====Polysyllabic nouns====
====Compounding====
====Reduplication====
====Gendered nouns====
====Pronouns====
 
The pronominal system of Ngehu is, like most other parts of the language, composed of transparent compounds. Syntactically, Ngehu's pronouns are no different from any other nouns. 
 
=====Personal=====
 
The personal pronouns of Ngehu mark for three types of clusivity: exclusive, inclusive of third person, and inclusive of second person. The third person pronoun is generally glossed as <small>DEF</small>.<small>E</small> (definite entity) as it is used as a definite article in a lot of situations. The forms separated by slashes are alternative variants.
 
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg"
|+ '''Absolutive Pronouns'''
|- align=center
! Person !! Singular !! Exclusive Plural !! Inclusive of 3<small><sup>rd</sup></small> !! Inclusive of 2<small><sup>nd</sup></small>
|- align=center
! 1<small><sup>st</sup></small>
| '''''na''''' || '''''nana''''' / '''''wena''''' || '''''dena''''' / '''''wena''''' || '''''wana'''''
|- align=center
! 2<small><sup>nd</sup></small>
| '''''wa''''' || '''''wawa''''' / '''''wewa''''' || '''''wade''''' || -
|- align=center
! 3<small><sup>rd</sup></small>
| '''''de''''' || '''''dwe''''' / '''''de''''' ('''''we''''') || - || -
|}
 
 
The distinction between the '''''nana''''' / '''''wena''''' "we" and '''''wana''''' "we" is that the latter includes any listeners whereas the former does not. In the second person, '''''wawa''''' / '''''wewa''''' is used to refer to a group with all members present and being addressed. '''''Wade''''' refers to a group whose members are not all present or being spoken to.
 
All the pronouns have distinct genitive forms equivalent to being preceded with '''''ya'''''. For example, '''''ya na''''' is equivalent to '''''nga''''', with the former being more emphatic and the latter being more common. The forms are shown in the following table.
 
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg"
|+ '''Genitive Pronouns'''
|- align=center
! Person !! Singular !! Exclusive Plural !! Inclusive of 3<small><sup>rd</sup></small> !! Inclusive of 2<small><sup>nd</sup></small>
|- align=center
! 1<small><sup>st</sup></small>
| '''''nga''''' || '''''ngana''''' / '''''vyena''''' || '''''zyina''''' / '''''vyena''''' || '''''wona'''''
|- align=center
! 2<small><sup>nd</sup></small>
| '''''wo''''' || '''''wowa''''' / '''''vyewa''''' || '''''wode''''' || -
|- align=center
! 3<small><sup>rd</sup></small>
| '''''zyi''''' || '''''zyi''''' ('''''we''''') / '''''zy'we''''' || - || -
|}
 
 
Note that '''''zyi we''''' is often pronounced as one syllable, losing the /i/. This is sometimes indicated in writing as '''''zy'we'''''.
 
======Modified and replaced pronouns======
 
Any of the pronouns may be followed by any of the kinds of modifiers that any other noun can. Appositional modifiers are quite frequent. '''''Wa da''''' is used as an honorific when speaking to those of higher rank. When speaking to the emperor, however, speakers avoid the above listed pronouns entirely and refer to him simply with the word '''''mwadava''''' 'emperor'. People addressing the emperor humble themselves by referring to themselves as '''''na di''''' unless given permission not to.
 
In the third person, when talking about a number of people or things, modifiers are frequently used to disambiguate between referents that would otherwise all be referred to as '''''de'''''. Some commonly used phrases are '''''de la''''' 'the non-Ngehu person', '''''de hu''''' 'the Ngehu', '''''de ngo''''' 'the person', '''''de nu''''' 'the thing'. These are also very commonly used without '''''de''''', as definiteness tends not to be marked explicitly except through the use of the genitive form '''''zyi'''''.
 
=====Reciprocal=====
 
The reciprocal pronoun is '''''dede''''' 'each other', 'one another'. It has the genitive form '''''zyide'''''.
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="4" | '''''Wena i le <span style="color:blue">zyide</span>.'''''
|-
|wena || i || le || zyide
|-
| 1p.<small>EXCL</small> || <small>COP</small> || love.<small>AG</small> || <small>GEN</small>.each_other
|-
| colspan="4" | ''We love <span style="color:blue">each other</span>.''
|}
 
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="6" | '''''Hu gwe ndudu i li <span style="color:blue">dede</span>.'''''
|-
|hu || gwe || ndudu || i || li || dede
|-
| man || and || frog || <small>COP</small> || become.<small>AG</small> || each_other
|-
| colspan="6" | ''The man and the frog swapped bodies.''
|-
| colspan="6" | Lit.: ''The man and the frog became <span style="color:blue">each other</span>.''
|}
 
=====Reflexive=====
 
Reflexive pronouns may be formed by adding '''''zu''''' to any of the personal pronouns. In the first and second persons, it is suffixed, '''''-zu''''', but is only used emphatically to emphasise reflexivity and otherwise dropped. In the third person, the '''''zu''''' is a separate word and it is the important part of the phrase, with the '''''de''''' able to be dropped.
 
 
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg"
|+ '''Absolutive Pronouns'''
|- align=center
! Person !! Singular !! Exclusive Plural !! Inclusive of 3<small><sup>rd</sup></small> !! Inclusive of 2<small><sup>nd</sup></small>
|- align=center
! 1<small><sup>st</sup></small> ABS
| '''''na'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''nana'''''('''''zu''''') / '''''wena'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''dena'''''('''''zu''''') / '''''wena'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''wana'''''('''''zu''''')
|- align=center
! 1<small><sup>st</sup></small> GEN
| '''''nga'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''ngana'''''('''''zu''''') / '''''vyena'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''zyina'''''('''''zu''''') / '''''vyena'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''wona'''''('''''zu''''')
|- align=center
! 2<small><sup>nd</sup></small> ABS
| '''''wa'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''wawa'''''('''''zu''''') / '''''wewa'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''wade'''''('''''zu''''') || -
|- align=center
! 2<small><sup>nd</sup></small> GEN
| '''''wo'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''wowa'''''('''''zu''''') / '''''vyewa'''''('''''zu''''') || '''''wode'''''('''''zu''''') || -
|- align=center
! 3<small><sup>rd</sup></small> ABS
| ('''''de''''') '''''zu''''' / '''''dezu''''' || ('''''dwe''''') '''''zu''''' / ('''''de we''''') '''''zu''''' / '''''dwezu''''' || - || -
|- align=center
! 3<small><sup>rd</sup></small> GEN
| '''''zyizu''''' / '''''ya zu''''' || '''''zyizu''''' ('''''we''''') || - || -
|}
 
 
Quite frequently, '''''-zu''''' attaches as a compound element on to the end of other nouns in order to create a lexical reflexive. This is quite like the English prefixes ''auto-'' and ''self-'', as in ''autoerotic'', ''self-destruct''. Compare the following three sentences.
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="5" | '''''Na i ze ngu <span style="color:blue">nga</span>.'''''
|-
| na || i || ze || ngu || nga
|-
| 1s || <small>COP</small> || <small>NEG</small>.<small>E</small> || murder.<small>AG</small> || GEN.1s
|-
| colspan="5" | ''I'm not going to kill <span style="color:blue">myself</span>.''
|}
 
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="5" | '''''Na i ze ngu <span style="color:blue">ngazu</span>.'''''
|-
| na || i || ze || ngu || ngazu
|-
| 1s || <small>COP</small> || <small>NEG</small>.<small>E</small> || murder.<small>AG</small> || GEN.1s.<small>REFL</small>
|-
| colspan="5" | ''I'm not going to kill <span style="color:blue">myself</span> (but possibly others).''
|}
 
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="4" | '''''Na i ze ngu<span style="color:blue">zu</span>.'''''
|-
| na || i || ze || nguzu
|-
| 1s || <small>COP</small> || <small>NEG</small>.<small>E</small> || murder.self.<small>AG</small>
|-
| colspan="5" | ''I'm not going to commit <span style="color:blue">su</span>icide.''
|}
 
 
It should be noted that the reflexive pronouns are not used to highlight the subject, as they can in English. This is instead done by repeating the subject in an adjunctive modifier.
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="6" | '''''Na i ze ngu <span style="color:blue">o na</span>.'''''
|-
| na || i || ze || ngu || u || na
|-
| 1s || <small>COP</small> || <small>NEG</small>.<small>E</small> || murder.<small>AG</small> || ADJN || 1s
|-
| colspan="5" | ''I'm not going to kill (anyone) <span style="color:blue">myself</span>.''
|}
 
=====Indefinite=====
 
=====Interrogative=====
 
====Genitive forms====
====Demonstratives====
 
===Particles===
===Interjections===
==Noun Phrases==
===Modifiers===
====Appositional modifiers====
====Attributive modifiers====
====Genitive modifiers====
====Adjunctive modifiers====
===Definiteness===
===Degree===
===Modality===
===Number===
===Specificity===
===Tense and aspect===
 
====Progressive and present====
====Perfect and past====
====Prospective and future====
====Gnomic====
====Episodic====
====Habitual====
====Inceptive====
====Continuative====
====Cessative====
 
==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 (i.e. not "Hey, creep!" but "You are a creep!").
 
 
:{|
|-
| 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> || acquire.<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 consist of nothing but a predicate, which itself consists of the copula (or predicate marker) '''''i''''' of a noun phrase introduced by the copula. The missing subject in these sentences can, without further context, be thought of as representing an unspoken "someone" or "something". They therefore often have an existential meaning.
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="2" | '''''I nivi.'''''
|-
| i || nivi
|-
| <small>COP</small> || problem
|-
| colspan="2" | ''(Someone or something) is a problem.''
|-
| colspan="2" | I.e. ''There is a problem.''
|}
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="2" | '''''I nivi.'''''
|-
| i || nivi
|-
| <small>COP</small> || problem
|-
| colspan="2" | ''(Someone or something) is a problem.''
|-
| colspan="2" | I.e. ''There is a problem.''
|}
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="3" | '''''I gwa nwevwa.'''''.
|-
| i || gwa || nwevwa
|-
| <small>COP</small> || two.<small>E</small> || banana
|-
| colspan="2" | ''(Someone or something) is two bananas.''
|-
| colspan="2" | ''There are two bananas.''
|}
 
 
Predicate clauses are often used rather like a passive construction.
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="6" | '''''I mo zyi we dyenggi nga.'''''.
|-
| i || mo || zyi || we || dyenggi || nga
|-
| <small>COP</small> || consume.<small>AG</small> || <small>GEN</small>.<small>DEF</small>.<small>E</small> || <small>PL</small>.<small>E</small> || sago_cake || <small>GEN</small>.1s
|-
| colspan="6" | ''Someone (or something) ate my sago cakes.''
|-
| colspan="6" | ''There is an eater of my sago cakes.''
|}
 
 
Note the difference between this and a true passive formed with a prefixed '''''ne-'''''.
 
 
::{|
|-
| colspan="5" | '''''We dyenggi nga i nemo.'''''
|-
| we || dyenggi || nga || i || ne-mo
|-
| <small>PL</small>.<small>E</small> || sago_cake || <small>GEN</small>.1s || <small>COP</small> || <small>PASS</small>-consume.<small>AG</small>
|-
| colspan="5" | "My sago cakes are/were/have been eaten."
|}
 
 
In context, the unstate subject may refer to a specific entity understood from context. For example, after being asked the question "Where is the banana?" the answer may be ...
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="3" | '''''I lu vumbadi.'''''
|-
| i || lu || vumbadi
|-
| <small>COP</small> || <small>LOC</small>.<small>E</small> || bathroom
|-
| colspan="3" | ''(It's) in the bathroom.''
|}
 
 
Note that removing the copula and saying '''''lu vumbadi''''' would not simply mean "in the bathroom" but, being an unmarked noun phrase ("entity which is in the bathroom"), this forms an appellative sentence essentially meaning "You are in the bathroom." The copula thus appears at the beginning of short utterances warning of the presence of something.
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="2" | '''''I mongo'''''
|-
| i || mongo
|-
| <small>COP</small> || crocodile
|-
| colspan="2" | ''(There's a) crocodile!''
|}
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="2" | '''''I vyada'''''
|-
| i || vyada
|-
| <small>COP</small> || tree
|-
| colspan="2" | ''(There's a) tree!''
|}
 
===Subject predicate clauses===
===Topic fronting===
===Questions===
===Coordination===
 
Wena has the following coordinating conjunctions.
 
 
:{| class="bluetable lightbluebg"
|-
! Conjunction !! Gloss !! English
|-
| '''''gwe''''' || and.<small>SIMULT</small> / and || ''and simultaneously, and at the same time''
|-
| '''''do''''' || and.<small>SUBSEQ</small> / then || ''and then, then, and subsequently''
|-
| '''''dozye''''' || and.<small>CONSEQ</small> / thus || ''so, and therefore, and consequently''
|-
| '''''mye''''' || but || ''but''
|-
| '''''agwe''''' || or.<small>INCL</small> || ''and/or, or (and possibly both/all)''
|-
| '''''amye''''' || <small>XOR</small> || ''or (but not both/all)''
|}
 
 
These conjunctions can all be used at any level of syntax, linking sentences, predicates, noun phrases or modifiers within noun phrases.
 
When more than two items are linked, the conjunction appears between each pair, unlike in English where it appears only between the last two. For example the structure '''A, B, and C''' is, in Wena, '''A ''gwe'' B ''gwe'' C'''.
 
 
====Correlative coordination====
 
The particle '''''a''''' (glossed: <small>COORD</small>) can be used to mark the beginning of a correlative phrase. They chiefly appear to disambiguate exactly which syntactic structures are being coordinated or for emphasis. The following structures exist.
 
 
:{| class="bluetable lightbluebg"
|-
| '''''a'' '''X''' ''gwe'' '''Y || both X and Y
|-
| '''''a'' '''X''' ''do'' '''Y || first X then Y
|-
| '''''a'' '''X''' ''dozye'' '''Y || if X then Y / the X the Y
|-
| '''''a'' '''X''' ''mye'' '''Y || "admittedly" X but Y
|-
| '''''a'' '''X''' ''agwe'' '''Y || either X or Y (or both)
|-
| '''''a'' '''X''' ''amye'' '''Y || either X or Y (but not both)
|-
| '''''a '''''(...)''''' ze'' '''X''' ''mye '''''(...)''''' ndwa'' '''Y || not X but (rather) Y
|-
| '''''a '''''(...)''''' ze myegi'' '''X''' ''mye gwe'' '''Y || not only X but also Y
|}
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="7" | '''''De i hu <span style="color:blue">a</span> gu <span style="color:blue">do</span> vwe.'''''
|-
| de || i || hu || a || gu || do || vwe
|-
| <small>DEF</small>.<small>E</small> || <small>COP</small> || man || <small>COORD</small> || strike.<small>AG</small> || then || see.<small>AG</small>
|-
| colspan="7" | ''He's a "hit <span style="color:blue">first</span>, ask questions <span style="color:blue">later</span>" kind of guy.''
|}
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="14" | '''''<span style="color:blue">A</span> i he mbo u nyo i liba da <span style="color:blue">dozye</span> zyamo i liba homo.'''''
|-
| a || i || he || mbo || u || nyo || i || liba || da || dozye || zyamo || i || liba || homo
|-
| <small>COORD</small> || <small>COP</small> || should.<small>AG</small> || stay.<small>AG</small> || <small>ADJN</small> || <small>time</small> || <small>COP</small> || increasingly_intense.<small>E</small> || large.<small>E</small> || thus || food || <small>COP</small> || increasingly_intense.<small>E</small> || tasty.<small>E</small>
|-
| colspan="14" | ''<span style="color:blue">The</span> longer you have to wait, <span style="color:blue">the</span> better food tastes.''
|}
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="16" | '''''<span style="color:blue">A</span> i bawe nya lu vumba vyewa <span style="color:blue">mye</span> i he mbomu zyu hi mbalwe i dinggu.'''''
|-
| a || i || bawe || nya || lu || vumba || vyewa || mye || i || he || mbomu || zyu || hi || mbalwe || i || dinggu
|-
| <small>COORD</small> || <small>COP</small> || many.<small>E</small> || small_animal || <small>LOC</small>.<small>E</small> || room || <small>GEN</small>.2p || but || <small>COP</small> || should.<small>AG</small> || remember.<small>AG</small> || <small>GEN</small>.<small>C</small> || <small>DEM</small>.<small>E</small> || guesthouse || <small>COP</small> || cheap.<small>E</small>
|-
| colspan="12" | ''<span style="color:blue">Yes</span>, <span style="color:blue">admittedly</span> your room '''is''' full of creepy crawlies, <span style="color:blue">but</span> please remember: this guesthouse '''is''' cheap.''
|}
 
 
:{|
|-
| colspan="15" | '''''Wa i mwe <span style="color:blue">a</span> mbo lu hi u vwevwe nyadidi <span style="color:blue">amye</span> me nga u gunggi.'''''
|-
| wa || i || mwe || a || mbo || lu || hi || u || vwevwe || nyadidi || amye || me || nga || u || gunggi
|-
| 2s || <small>COP</small> || able.<small>E</small> || <small>COORD</small> || stay.<small>AG</small> || <small>LOC</small>.<small>E</small> || <small>DEM</small>.<small>E</small> || <small>ADJN</small> || watch.<small>AG</small> || ant || <small>XOR</small> || accompany.<small>AG</small> || <small>GEN</small>.1s || <small>ADJN</small> || beat_sago.<small>AG</small>
|-
| colspan="15" | ''You can <span style="color:blue">either</span> stay here twiddling your thumbs'' (lit. "watching ants") ''<span style="color:blue">or</span> come and beat sago with me.''
|}
 
 
Additionally, in questions, the two versions of "either ... or" can be be used with '''h''' instead of having '''ha''' appear at the beginning of the sentence. This is much more usual for the exclusive "either ... or" than the inclusive.
 
 
:{| class="bluetable lightbluebg"
|-
|-
| '''''ha'' '''X''' ''hagwe'' '''Y || either X or Y (or both)?
|-
| '''''ha'' '''X''' ''hamye'' '''Y || either X or Y (but not both)?
|}
 
===Subordination===
===Conditional sentences===
==Miscellaneous==
===Affirmation and negation===
===Comparison===
===Imperatives===
===Names===
===Numerals===
Imralu
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