Tuesday, 5 October 2010

Impersonal infix

Kareyku has an impersonal infix -ey- attached to the verb. So for example, in sentences:
     tan-ey-te               odanu          poko-lyo
speak-IMP-4T.NEG   you-POSS       house-LOC
This can be translated into "He doesn't speak at your house" or "One doesn't speak at your home". In addition the -ey- infix can be used to make a kind of irrealis construction approximate to subjunctive.
shin          ikejen         tyasa      tan-ey-te
3RD.SG     I-TOP        prefer     speak-IMP-4T.NEG
I prefer he didn't speak
Pretty simple, but it can be used in so many constructions and variations, also compounded with the evidentials and others.

No comments:

Post a Comment