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MODIFIED NOUN OMITTED

In cases where the modified noun is obvious in the meaning of the sentence, it is omitted.

Nɛmɛ ɛ mih cliiht. -- This is a big (one).
Tiltih kɛ tih gɔw. -- These are good (ones).
Ɣähn göörä mih diiht. -- I want a big (one) or, a lot.
Nɛmɛ ɛ mih gɔaa nih jɛn. -- This is a better (one).
E mih cäh jɛ lahr ih pahny! -- (It) is (the thing) which I told you, sure enough!
E mih bɛ lɛl walɛ. -- (It) is (the thing) that he will do today.
E mih tëë ih dih? -- (This) is what kind of a deal?
E mih la ɤähn ɛ a nhɔk. -- (This) is what I always like.
E mih cih nɛy ɛ gohr. -- (This) is what we don't want.

These sentences serve to illustrate a type of meaning which is commonly desired in speech but which, in Nuer, does not follow in grammatical construction the speech of an English speaking person. Therefore, it is not quickly adopted by the foreigner.

Notice that the relative clause construction occurs in two positions in the sentences:

In the position following the verb where it serves either as a pred. nominative with [ɛ-kɛ], or as a direct object after a transitive verb.
In the position following