Nuer Field Project

Nouns Verbs Verb Book Expressions Pedagogical Grammar of Nuer Translation of Genesis in Nuer Others

Exercises For Lesson 24

Give attention to the word [i̲] by listening for it exclusively. Distinguish it from the personal pronoun 2nd person objective case contracted form [i̲]. The 2nd person pronoun is not hi tone. Have your informant say these sentences with you for tone practice.

  1. Ɛ jɛn i̲ gɔaaɛ.
  2. Ŋa̲cä̲ jɛ i̲ thïlɛ yɛ gua̲a̲th.
  3. Diɛwdä̲ i̲ bɛ̲ gɔaa.
  4. Ci̲ dä̲muɔɔr ɛ la̲r ɤä̲ i̲ bɛ bɛ̲n i̲yɔɔ.
  5. Ɛ ruacdu̲ i̲ /cɛ bi̲ wä̲ u̲?
  1. Translate and write in Nuer:
    1. I didn't tell him to come. (the infinitive is 3rd Aspect)
    2. They did not know that he stayed at Gambeila.
    3. We did not think that he would be gone for three days. (3rd Aspect)
    4. Didn't you know that we have no money?
    5. He isn't sleeping. He knows you're here.
    6. I heard that they liked it.
    7. I heard that they saw it.
    8. We heard that you helped him.
    9. He didn't tell me to do this.
    10. Did he tell you to do it?
    11. They told us to call them.
    12. It's their idea that we stay here.
    13. He thinks the path is bad.
    14. They say it isn't good.
    15. Is it your idea that this boy goes tomorrow?
    16. It's not my talk I have nothing to say about it.
  2. Written exercises
    1. Did he tell you he was coming?
      No, he didn't tell me.
      I suppose that he didn't tell you because he didn't know it.
    2. Is yours okay?
      Yes, mine is okay, but that man's, is his okay?
      I don't know. I will ask him.
      He said it's okay.
    3. Does she like hers?
      She didn't say.
      Go and ask her.
    4. What does this belong to?
      I don't know. I think it belongs to the clinic because I saw it there yesterday. It's not mine.
      I saw it there yesterday. It's not mine.
    5. I told him to take her outside because it was your idea that all children should sit outside. (3rd Aspect)
    6. It has gone into my heart that you don't like it here, because there are no cows here. Is that right?
    7. Where did that little girl go?
      Tell her to come right this minute.
      I didn't know she had gone.
    8. We told you to come yesterday but you did not come. Now we have no place for you. What will I do?
      I don't know. It's a problem really.

Read with informant for intonation then translate and explain all verb constructions.

You: Ga̲a̲c, bër.
Ga̲a̲c from the kitchen: I̲ bër?
You: Ɛ jɛn bër, göörä̲ ji̲.
Ga̲a̲c: Ɛ jɛn, bä̲ bɛ̲n.

You've eaten some dura in someone's home and you've had sufficient.
Hostess: Ja̲̩ŋ, cam namɛ.
You: Ɣëc /cä̲ dɔdiɛn go̲r?
Hostess: I̲ /ci̲ dɔdiɛn go̲r?
Hostess: I̲ /ci̲ dɔdiɛn go̲r?
You: Ɣɔ̲ɔ̲n, cä̲ riä̲ŋ tä̲ä̲mɛ.
Hostess: Yɛn nɛy ti̲ bo̲o̲r, thïlɛ yɛ jic!

You've been sent to tell someone that Gatkuɔth wants him but he refuses to come, so you go back with the word.

You: Gatkuɔth, ci̲ Dɛŋ ɛ lar i̲ /cɛ bi̲ bɛ̲n.
Gatkuɔth: I̲ /cɛ bi̲ bɛ̲n? Waa! Ɛ ca̲p mi ŋu̲ ɛn nɛmɛ? (what kind of idea is this?) Kä̲ thïlɛ dɔdiɛn mi̲ cɛ lar?
You: Ɣëc, cɛ biɛt. Thïlɛ dɔdiɛn mi̲ cɛ la̲r ɤä̲.
Gatkuɔth: Ɣëë, ɛ jɛn. Thïlɛ mi̲ lɛlɛ.

You are talking with someone whose whereabouts you haven't known for sure:

You: Di̲w ɤä̲n cä̲ wi̲cdä̲ car i̲ jï̲̩n ci̲ tɛ̲ thï̲n kä̲ Malakal. /Ka̲n ɤ ku̲ lɛ ŋa̲c pa̲ny i̲ ci̲ bɛ̲n wanɛmɛ.
Di̲w: Ɣɔ̲ɔ̲n, ɤä̲n cä̲ bɛ̲n kɛ ɤöö tɛ̲ maar thï̲n wanamɛ, kä̲ jɛn tëë kɛ juc̲y.

Question on the dialogues:

  1. In the sentence [Ci̲ Dɛŋ ɛ lar] why is the verb particle [ci̲] not [cɛ].
  2. In this same sentence, what does [ɛ] refer to?
  3. In the sentence [ɛ ca̲p mi ŋu̲ ɛn nɛmɛ? ] what is the construction of [ɛn nɛmɛ] and to what does it refer?
  4. What is the subject of the sentence [tɛ maar thï̲n] and what aspect is it?
Nuer Field Project Nouns Verbs Verb Book Expressions Grammar Genesis Others