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→Predicative Prefixes
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====Predicative Prefixes==== | ====Predicative Prefixes==== | ||
Finite verbs in {{PAGENAME}} can carry one of four . | Finite verbs in {{PAGENAME}} can carry one of four predicative prefixes as show in the table below. | ||
{| class="bluetable lightbluebg" | |||
|- | |||
! | |||
! Independent | |||
! Adverbial | |||
|- | |||
! Absolutive | |||
| '''-i-''' | |||
| '''-u-''' | |||
|- | |||
! Ergative | |||
| '''-ai-''' | |||
| '''-au-''' | |||
|} | |||
The independent forms are used in independent clauses and dependent clauses introduced by a complementiser. The dependent forms are used in adverbial clauses. For examble, the independent verb form '''''timbuda'''' means "it is a house" whereas the adverbial '''''tumbuda''''' is more equivalent to "(with) it being a house". | |||
The absolutive and ergative forms of of the predicative prefixes indicate the case of the preceding personal prefix. Compare the following examples | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | '''Nigu.''' | |||
|- | |||
| n- || i- || gu | |||
|- | |||
| 1- || PRED- || be.eaten | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | "I get/got/will get eaten." | |||
|} | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | '''Naigu.''' | |||
|- | |||
| n- || a- || i- || gu | |||
|- | |||
| 1- || ERG- || PRED- || be.eaten | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | "I eat / ate / will eat." | |||
|} | |||
The ability to indicate either the absolutive or the ergative argument on the verb allows either one to be emphasised. | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | '''Tigu tembu langeu''' | |||
|- | |||
| t- || i- || gu || t- || e- || mbu || l- || a- || ngeu | |||
|- | |||
| 3E- || PRED- || be.eaten || 3E- || ABS- || bug || 3D- || ERG- || cat | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | "The bug got eaten by the cat." | |||
|} | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | '''Laigu tembu langeu''' | |||
|- | |||
| l- || a- || i- || gu || t- || e- || mbu || l- || a- || ngeu | |||
|- | |||
| 3D- || ā- || PRED- || be.eaten || 3E- || ABS- || bug || 3D- || ERG- || cat | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="9" | "The cat ate the bug." | |||
|} | |||
===Morphology of Modifiers=== | ===Morphology of Modifiers=== | ||