Lesson 4

Lesson 4

We shall now embark on a set of 6 questions commonly used in everyday speech. Notice in these question-sentences there are 3 types of verbs. One type is conjugated and two are never conjugated. The explanation of these verbs will follow in the next 2 lessons.

A normal conversation is as follows:

A person comes to the door wanting you. You don't respond immediately so he calls like this.

Visitor:	Maali̲, ki̲i̲m? Jï̲̩n a thï̲̩n? Are you at peace, Doctor? Are you present?
Silence on your part, so he says:
Visitor:	Ki̲i̲m, jï̲̩n a ni̲? Jï̲̩n a thï̲̩n? Doctor, where are you? Are you present?
Having been aroused from your long-anticipated siesta, you go to the door and say:
The Doc:	Ɣɔ̲ɔ̲n, maalä. Yes, I am at peace. Ɛ jï̲̩n ŋa? Who are you? Kä̲ go̲o̲ri ni̲ ŋu̲? And you want what?
He will probably answer:
Visitor:	Ɛ Ɣä̲n Ga̲a̲c. I am I Ga̲a̲c (or whatever the name is) Göörä̲ ji̲. I want you.

PHONETICS

[i̲, ï̲]
1. Note that all the [i] and [ï̲] sounds in this dialogue are breathy.
2. If you have trouble pronouncing an initial [ŋ], try saying the word "ping pong". Hold your tongue in the final [ng] position and then speak an [a] or [u̲] after it. It's not difficult; just takes practice.
[ɤ]
1. To make the sound [ɤ], push the air out of your mouth by starting to push from your diaphragm.
[o, o̲]
1. The [o] and [o̲] are made with slightly unrounded lips contrary to English.
[ö]
1. This is a difficult sound to make. It is pronounced between the [o] of "toe" and the [u] of "foot".
[c]
1. The [c] is the Nuer symbol for the sound [ch]. However, this sound is pronounced with the tongue pressed against the ridge behind the upper teeth. It is farther front than an English [ch]. Certain Nuer words, like the name Ga̲a̲c, do not release the sound of [c] in final position. The tongue goes to its position but no air escapes.
2. In the word [Ga̲a̲c] make sure that you are not saying the English word "guy". This Nuer name is a long, breathy [a] with a final unreleased [c].

SYNTAX

1. The Nuer verb is conjugated in the 1st Aspect by suffixing the personal pronoun endings to the stem. There are 4 verbs which are an exception to this (see below). The majority of verbs also undergo a stem vowel change. We group verbs in the 1st Aspect as follows according to their stem vowel patterns.

Group 1. Verbs whose stem vowel is [a] do not change.

e.g. [maalä̲, maali̲, maalɛ]

Group 2. 3 very common verbs have an irregular vowel change.

wä̲ -- to go
bɛ̲n -- to come
tɛ̲ -- to exist, stay
(see lesson 6)

Group 3. Transitive verbs whose stem vowels are not [a] undergo a vowel change in the 2nd and 3rd persons singular forms. e.g. [lua̲kä̲ ji̲] -- I am helping you, [luä̲ki̲ jɛ] -- you are helping him, [luä̲kɛ jɛ] -- he is helping him.

Group 4. Intransitive verbs whose stem vowels are not [a] undergo a vowel change in the 2nd and 3rd person singular and 3rd person plural forms.

e.g. [ma̲thä̲] -- I drink, [mä̲thi̲] -- you drink, [mä̲thɛ] -- he drinks, [mä̲thkɛ] -- they drink

2. There are 2 other verbs which follow an altogether irregular pattern. [ɛ] and its meaning is discussed in the lesson. [a] and its meaning is discussed in lesson 5.

For many, many verbs the stem vowel change is unpredictable, however the following can be predicted.

In verbs whose stem vowels are the following diphthongs, the stem vowel of the 2nd-3rd persons will be the 1st vowel of the diphthong, retaining the same length* as the 1st person.

-iɛ- --> -i-	viz.	liɛnä̲ jɛ --> lïnɛ jɛ	listen (Tr)
-iɛ- --> -i̲-		miɛ̲thä̲ --> mi̲thz	dine
-iɛ̲ɛ̲- --> -i̲i̲-		niɛ̲ɛ̲cä̲ --> ni̲i̲cɛ	teach
-ɔa- --> -ɔ-		cɔalä̲ ji̲ --> cɔlɛ ji̲	call (Tr)
-ɔa̲a̲ --> -ɔ̲ɔ̲-		tɔa̲a̲cä̲ --> tɔ̲ɔ̲cɛ	lie down
-uɔ̲ɔ̲ --> -u̲u̲-		nyuɔ̲ɔ̲rä̲ --> nyu̲u̲rɛ	sit

*There are quite a few instances where a long 1st person diphthong becomes mid-length through-out.

In verbs whose stem vowel are any of the following, these changes in 2nd-3rd person take place.

-ua- --> u̲ä̲	lua̲kä̲ jɛ --> luä̲kɛ jɛ	help (Tr)
-iö- --> -io̲-	ciötä̲ --> cio̲tɛ	call (Intr)
-ö- --> -o̲-	thötä̲ jɛ --> tho̲tɛ jɛ	pull (Tr)
-öö- --> -o̲o̲-	göörä̲ jɛ --> go̲o̲rɛ jɛ	want (Tr)
-ɛ̈- --> -ɛ-	tɛ̈mä̲ jɛ --> tɛmɛ jɛ	cut (Tr)
-ë- --> -ɛ̲-	pënä̲ jɛ --> pɛ̲nɛ jɛ	prevent (Tr)
-ɛ̈ɛ̈- --> -ɛɛ-	mɛ̈ɛ̈ŋä̲ jɛ --> mɛɛŋɛ jɛ	squeeze, twist (Tr)
-ɔ- --> -o-	nyɔkä̲ jɛ --> nyoke jɛ	repeat (Tr)
-a̲- --> -ä̲-	la̲rä̲ jɛ jɛ --> lä̲rɛ jɛ jɛ	tell to (Tr)
-ëë- --> -ɛ̲ɛ̲-	tëëkä̲ jɛ --> tɛ̲ɛ̲kɛ jɛ	give life (Tr)
-iaa- --> -iɛɛ-	yiaanä̲ jɛ --> yiɛɛnɛ jɛ	tie (Tr)
-uɔɔ- --> -uoo-	tuɔɔkä̲ jɛ --> tuooke jɛ	begin (Tr)
-uë- --> -uɛ̲-	kuënä̲ --> kuɛ̲nɛ	count (Intr)
-ua̲- --> -uä̲-	ŋua̲nyä̲ --> ŋuä̲nyɛ	smell (Intr)
-uɛ̈- --> -uɛ-	kuɛ̈tä̲ jɛ --> kuɛtɛ jɛ	kick, insult it (Tr)

Note: There are definitely exceptions to all of these changes.

[ɛ-kɛ]
The verb [ɛ] is a specialized word functioning as the equals sign of an equation or as the fulcrum of a scale. Its job is to equate one word or one thought with another. The grammatical construction employed with it are unlimited. Therefore, one's mind must be opened to meeting this word in many varied environments. Its grammatical forms are as follows:

It has only 2 forms, a singular and plural form which are [ɛ] in the singular and [kɛ] in the plural.
It must agree in number with its subject or that which it is equating.
Its subject is often understood.
Its 2 main environments are:
1) The situation in which it equates two things or persons, or 2) in which it equates two things in apposition, making them specific. e.g.

Nɛmɛ ɛ yaŋ. This is cow.
Nɛmɛ ɛ jɛn yaŋ. This is it cow. Ɛ jï̲̩n ŋa? (x) are you who?
Ɛ ɤä̲n Ga̲a̲c. (x) am I Ga̲a̲c.

[ŋu̲] and [ŋa]
[ŋu̲] and [ŋa] are interrogative pronouns. Their plural forms are [ŋu̲u̲ni̲] and [ŋaani̲]. Their grammatical occurrences will be explained later.
In anticipation of what might be said in answer to the question, [Jï̲n, go̲o̲ri̲ ni̲ ŋu̲?] here are some possible answers introducing new words.

Ɣä̲n göörä̲ dä̲maar. my brother
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ maar. my mother
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ gua̲a̲r. my father
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ nyimaar. my sister
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ cak. milk
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ pi̲ (or pi̲w) water
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ yi̲̩o̲̩m. tin can
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ bɛ̩l. dura
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ yi̲̩o̲̩w. money
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ gi̲ric. 1 piaster
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ du̲ɔ̲ɔ̲r. something (thing)
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ nɛmɛ. this
Ɣä̲n göörä̲ ruac kɛ ji̲. to talk with you

Learn these words in this context, "Do you want ___________?"

Jï̲n, go̲o̲ri̲ dä̲muɔɔr? your brother
Jï̲n, go̲o̲ri̲ muɔɔr? your mother
Jï̲n, go̲o̲ri̲ gu̲u̲r? your father
Jï̲n, go̲o̲ri̲ nyimuɔɔr? your sister

The following sentences illustrate the use of [ɛ]. [kɛ] would be used in its place if the nouns were plural.
Questions:

Ram ɛmɔ ɛ ŋa? That person is who?
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ gua̲a̲r Ram ɛmɔ ɛ maar
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ dä̲maar Ram ɛmɔ ɛ mä̲ä̲dä̲. My friend
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ nyimaar
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ nä̲ä̲rä̲ My uncle, i.e. my mother's brother
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ gu̲u̲r
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ muɔɔr
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ nyimuɔɔr
Ram ɛmɔ ɛ dä̲muɔɔr