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→Predicate clauses
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In context, the unstate subject may refer to a specific entity, | 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> || shark | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | ''(There's a) shark!'' | |||
|} | |||
:{| | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | '''''I vyada''''' | |||
|- | |||
| i || vyada | |||
|- | |||
| <small>COP</small> || tree | |||
|- | |||
| colspan="2" | ''(There's a) tree!'' | |||
|} | |||
===Subject predicate clauses=== | ===Subject predicate clauses=== | ||