The Mafulu Part 23

1. The first form _na, nu, u(ne)_ etc., is used either as subject or object of the verb, the meaning being only indicated by the position of the word.

Ex. _na kuku nu inditsi,_ I will give thee tobacco; _na un' adatsi,_ I will strike him; _ya di ong' ando,_ you two are beside us.

When used before the imperative of the verb _indi,_ to give, _na_ becomes _ne._

Ex. _ne i, ne inde,_ give me.

2. The forms _nave_ and _ove_ are rarely used. The commonest use is with the words _ete,_ to say, _ende,_ also.

Ex. _nav' elete,_ I said; _ov' elete,_ he said; _nav' ende, nov'

ende, ov' ende,_ I also, thou also, he also.

3. The forms _nani, nuni,_ etc., are employed when the verb is understood, or to indicate opposition or emphasis.

Ex. _da gatsi? dini;_ who will go? we (will); _nuni kakape ta, nani kakava,_ you are weak, but I am strong; _nani a baibe,_ I am a great man.

4. The dual is generally observed by the natives. Adjectives used with the dual p.r.o.noun take the singular form.

Ex. _dani sosonga,_ we (are) idle,

5. The dual is often employed with two subjects one of which is plural.

Ex. _Kakao tu, tsimani u g'anga_, Kakao they two, with the policemen, have started.

When _dani_ is used alone it is generally inclusive of the person addressed, and means "I and thou." If the third person is intended the name is used: _dani Okomi' u da gatsi_, we two Okomi with we will go. _Yani_ is used in a similar way, when one of the persons referred to is not present: _ya, Dun'u yani natsi_, you two Dune with you will go. The use of the conjunction _u(ne)_ with the second member of the subject does not appear to be constant.

6. The p.r.o.noun of the third person singular _u(ne)_ when it is the direct object of the verb usually follows, and often takes the form -_unde_.

Ex. _kodigitsi mau_, put it in the dish; _nag' al' unde_, I have seen him.

II. Personal p.r.o.nouns. Compound.

From the p.r.o.nouns _na, nu_, etc., are derived by means of the suffix -_muku_, alone, the forms _namuku, numuku_, etc., with the meanings, "I alone, without company," etc.

The suffix -_mule_, is equivalent to self, _namule, numule_, etc., myself, thyself, etc.

From _nani, nuni_, etc., come the forms: _naniende_, or _nanienge_, etc., meaning myself in person, etc.; _nanieke, nunieke_, etc., from -_eke_, alone; _naniova_, etc., it is my business, _nanibila_, I by myself, without help. _Nani endebila_ is more emphatic than _nanibila_.

Ex. _numuku andola_? art thou quite alone? _da gatsi? uniende_; who will go? he himself; _nu da? nanienge_; who art thou? it is myself; _amed' unieke ando_, the chief is alone; _ake muniova_, it is the men's business; _dinieke al' andetsi_, we will stay here alone; _isong' unibila_, his own rainbow appears.

III. Possessive p.r.o.nouns.

1. These are formed from the simple forms of the personal p.r.o.nouns by suffixing -_ula(ne)_ literally "his thing."

Singular. Dual. Plural.

1. _naula(ne)_ 1. _daula(ne)_ 1. _diula(ne)_ 2. _nula(ne)_ 2. _yaula(ne)_ 2. _yula(ne)_ 3. _ula(ne)_ 3. _tula(le)_ 3. _mula(ne)_

They translate the English mine, thine, etc. Sometimes in compounds the final _n_ becomes _nd_. Ex. _nauland' aua_, here is mine.

2. The adjectival forms appear without the syllable _la_.

Singular. Dual. Plural.

1. _nau_(_le_) 1. _dau_(_le_) 1. _diu_(_le_) 2. _nu_(_le_) 2. _yau_(_le_) 2. _yu_(_le_) 3. _u_(_le_) 3. _tu_(_le_) 3. _mu_(_le_)

These adjectives precede the noun which they govern. With personal nouns the forms _naula_, etc., are sometimes used.

Ex. _nau me_ and _naula me_, my son; _diu vase_ and _diula vase_, our guest.

Note.--The form _nulu_ is heard in the phrase _nulu babe_, thy father.

The suffix _mule_ is also used in the sense of "own."

Ex. _numul' ul' i to, n' alo_, your own name, which I know; _namul'

ul i_, my own name. These suggest that the true possessive is simply _ul_(_e_) or _ula_(_ne_).

IV. Interrogative p.r.o.nouns.

1. These are: _Da_(_le_)? _dau_(_ne_)? who, which? _anda_(_le_)? what? _unau_? which? They are used also as adjectives.

Ex. _Nu da_? who art thou? _dau ga ne_? who has eaten it? _anda l'

elete_? what did he say? _Ivi: unau_? Ivi: which one?

2. When the verb is preceded by the particle _ga_, _dau_(_ne_) must be used instead of _da_(_le_).

V. Indefinite p.r.o.nouns.

These are the same as the Indefinite Adjectives.

VI. Relative p.r.o.nouns.

The suffix _niu_(_ne_) or _u_(_ne_) takes the place of a relative p.r.o.noun.

Ex. _A yaigegemune_, the man who descends; _audati itedemu bulitsi jalo tolom elota_, in the garden which they are cutting now when the food is ripe; _ovo jamun' imbade_, the meat taken from the pig; _fal'

itamun' akeda_, the men who have dug the ground.