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In this lesson the adverbial system of time and action words modifying verbs is introduced.
You to a friend: | Maali̲, mä̲ä̲dä̲? Ci̲ bɛ̲ŋ wanama nɛy?
Are you at peace, my friend? When did you come here? |
Friend: | Maalä̲, dä̲maar. Payä̲ bɛ̲n ni̲ ɛn tä̲ä̲mɛ pa̲ny.
I am at peace, my brothers. I just came even right now. |
You: | Bi̲i̲ wïnïth?
Where did you come from? |
Friend: | Ba̲a̲ kä̲ Gambɛila.
I came from Gambɛlia. |
You: | Ɣɔ̲ɔ̲, ci̲ wä̲ kä̲ Gambelia mëëdan kä̲ payi̲ lu̲ny jɔk tä̲ä̲mɛ,
Oh, you went to Gambeila some time ago and now you're just coming back, |
/ke̲ni̲ kɔn mɛ̲t wä̲ thï̲n?
had you not ever gone there before? |
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Friend: | Ɣɔ̲ɔ̲, cä̲ wä̲ kä̲ Gambelia kä̲ January, kä̲ ɤä̲n /ka̲n mɛ̲t wä̲ thï̲n.
Yes, I went to Gambeila in January, but I had never gone there. |
You: | Gambeila gɔaa? Ɛ we̲c mi̲ gɔaa? Nhɔki̲ jɛ?
Is Gambeila nice? Is it a good village? Do you like it? |
Friend: | Ɣɔ̲ɔ̲n, gɔaa ɛlɔ̲ŋ kä̲ tha̲a̲ŋ guä̲thni̲ kɔ̲cɛ ɛthe̲y.
Yes, it is very good but some of the times it is very cold. |
You: | Ŋa̲cä̲ jɛ i̲ kɔ̲cɛ ɛthe̲y kɛ ɤöö cɛ thia̲k kä̲ Ethiopia.
I know it that it is very cold because it is close to Ethiopia. |
Yä̲n ci̲ lɔcdä̲ tɛɛth kɛ ɤöö ci̲ ja̲l a gɔaa, kä̲ ci̲ lu̲ny wanɛmɛ a gɔaa kɛ mal.
I am glad because you journeyed well, and you have returned here, well in peace. |
PHONETICS
SYNTAX
There are very few true adverbial words in Nuer. Some so-called adverbs occur as prepositional phrases, some as nouns, others as verbs.
[Pay] -- [Pay] has the meaning of "immediacy" and is translated "just". It occurs in 1st and 2nd Aspect.
1st Aspect
Payä̲ mi̲th. | Paynɛ mi̲th. |
Payi̲ mi̲th. | Paykɔ mi̲th. |
Panɛ mi̲th. | Payɛ mi̲th. |
Paykɛ mi̲th. |
This means that the person has just eaten. The 2nd Aspect does not commonly occur. E.g. [Cɛ pay mi̲th.]
[Lɛ] -- [Lɛ] has the meaning of repitition or to indicate a succession of events. it is difficult to translate. At times it might be translated "again" but the context must warrant it. e.g. Ce wä̲ kä̲ cɛ lɛ bɛ̲n. -- He went and he came again. However, the meaning is to indicate the succession of related events not necessarily resultant the one to the other. One might say [Ke̲nɛ lɛ li̲w] -- He didn't die. Now obviously it does not mean he didn't die again, but it shows a related event to something else, he was ill, for instance, but he did not die. However, when [lɛ] is conjugated in 1st Aspect or is used as an imperative it has the meaning of "again".
1st Aspect
Lɛ̈lä̲ ɛ ri̲t. | Lɛ̈lnɛ ɛ ri̲t. |
Lɛli̲ ɛ ri̲t. | Lɛ̈lkɔ ɛ ri̲t. |
Lɛlɛ ɛ ri̲t. | Lɛ̈lɛ ɛ ri̲t. |
Lɛlkɛ ɛ ri̲t. |
Imperative: [Lɛli̲ ɛ ri̲t!] Turn it again.
Nuer Field Project | Nouns | Verbs | Verb Book | Expressions | Grammar | Genesis | Others |