The Mafulu Part 25

Ex. _iy' ongaimane_, the cut tree, _indiv' ongaima ya_, or _ongaim'

indi' ya_, take the broken knife, _g'usangaman' ul' ande_, the thing of death.

The past participle of some verbs has not yet been ascertained.

_h_. Verbal Adjectives.

The exact difference between the two forms is not accurately ascertained. The first seems to indicate an instrument, and is equivalent to the phrase "used for," the second appears to indicate habitual rather than momentary use. When qualifying persons _-onde_ is used for _-ondana_.

Ex. _indi kupa fifitabula_, knife for sc.r.a.ping potatoes; _ai safatsilibula_, a yam which has rotted; _kulule iy' adedondona_, a hammer for striking wood; _nuni oyatonde_, you are only joking; _nani falawa me nonde_, I don't eat bread.

In composition _-ande_, or at least _-nde_, is lost when the word qualified follows.

Ex. _ai filibulanda_, a yam for planting, _filibula' ai ne i_, give me the yam for planting; _ambe nenondana_, the eatable banana, _nenond'

ambe ya_, take the eatable banana.

V. Negation.

The negative of the verb is formed by the particle _me_ or _mi_ preceding. In the imperative it also precedes, but when emphasis is laid upon the negation _mi_ follows. The difference between _me_ and _mi_ is not clear, but _me_ appears to be used only before verbs beginning with a consonant, and _mi_ with other verbs.

A negative participle or infinitive does not appear. For the verbal adjective the suffix _-ua(ne)_ is used.

Ex. _Na mi alele_, I do not understand; _nani matsine mi engatsi_, I will not put on the (sh.e.l.l) bracelet; _mi unde_, do not fear; _kolose mi_, do not play; _me ya_, do not take; _nenond' an' ua_, what is not eaten.

VI. Interrogative.

The interrogative is only employed with reference to the verb itself, not to the complements. It changes with the conjugation and varies for present, past and future tense.

Present. Past 1. Past 2. Future 1. Future 2.

ememoma? emama? emena? emola? emoma?

umbubima? umbibia? umbubina? umbubila? umbubima?

The present in the first conjugation keeps the reduplication of the stem, and changes the final _e_ to _-oma_. The second conjugation simply adds _-ma_. The interrogative in the past simply changes the _e_ of the positive indicative to _a_ in both forms. The future is formed in the same way from the subjunctive with a stress upon the final _a_ in the first conjugation.

Ex. _Nuga malele yera?_ have you taken the book? _uga nemb' emama?_ has he killed the bird? _nu aiti gola?_ would you start to-morrow? _kupa g'ilama?_ are the potatoes cooked?

Note (1). The future interrogative replies to the question, "Can I..."? or "Should I..."?

(2). The interrogative of the near past (_cf.p._ 318, 3, _b_) is formed by subst.i.tuting _-una_ for _-ua_.

Ex. _nug' em' aliluna?_ Have you just come to see the village?

(3). The form of the second future as _umbibia_ is rarely heard, except with the verb _alili_, see, from which comes _'Aria?_ see?

(4). The negative interrogative is formed like the simple negative by _me_ or _mi_ preceding the verb.

The questions "What should I do?" "What should I say," How should I begin it?" are translated by the expression _do(le)... maiti_, from _do(le)?_ where?

Ex. _dotamaiti?_ how should I say? _dol' imaiti?_ what should I do? _do yela maiti?_ how shall I call?

VII. Substantive Verb.

1. In the present tense there is no substantive verb. The predicate and subject are combined as in the examples already given (cf. p. 312, 2). But when the present indicates a state in opposition to one preceding it, _ga_ is used before the adjective, or if in opposition to a future state, the verb _ando_ follows.

Ex. _Kuku ga ko_, the tobacco is bad; _balava ga ua_, the bread is finished; _indi ga kouatu_, the knife is on the box; _ambe g'ifa_, the banana is good; _ambe gos' ando_, the banana is (still) green (not ripe).

The past is more difficult to express. It always requires an adverb of time.

Ex. _Mele maleke ifa, audati ga ko_, the child formerly was good, now he is bad.

3. For other tenses the verb is translated only by the auxiliaries _-elele_ and _-angege_, for which cf. p. 322, 7.

VIII. Auxiliary Verbs.

1. The particle _ga_ may be used to make any expression whatever attributive.

Ex. _Yu g'ua_, the water is finished (_i.e_., is not); _malele ga kouatsi_, the book is in the box.

In such examples there is almost the sense of a past action, as if it were "The water (has become) nothing," "the book has been put (is already in) the box."

2. The verbs _ete, tede_, to say, or to do, and _elele_, to become, are often used to form a noun stem into a verb. _Ete_ and _tede_ give the sense of _sounding_, _elele_ gives the sense of _using_ whatever the noun expresses.

Ex.

_fioli_, flute, _fioliete_, to play the flute.

_yuve_, water, _yuv' elele_, to bathe.

_ule_, thunder, _ulonete_, to thunder.

_ivule_, dye, _ivul' elele_, to paint one's self.

_andavale_, crying, _andav' ete_, to weep.

_bule_, earth, _bul' elele_, to cultivate.

3. The Tenses, etc., of these verbs are found as follows:

1 2

Pres. indic. ete or tede. elele.

Imperative. ta. elau, ele, e.

Past indic. te(ne). elame.

Subjunctive. to(me), to(le). elo(me), elo(le).

Past indic. ta(me). elene.

Infinitive. ta(me). ela(me).