Béu : Chapter 2 : The Verb: Difference between revisions

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== ..... The 5 verb forms==
{{Deletion|Staigard|Well I have moved all the data somewhere else}}


=== ... The infinitive verb form===


..
db-g7
 
The infinitive is called the '''hipe'''
 
The most common multi-syllable verbs end in "a".
 
The less common multi-syllable verbs end in "e" or "o".
 
The least common multi-syllable verbs end in "au", "oi", "eu" or "ai".
 
To form a negative infinitive the word '''jù''' is placed immediately in front of the verb. For example ...
 
'''doika''' = to walk
 
'''jù doika''' = to not walk
 
The infinitive can be regarded as a noun.
 
..
 
=== ... The imperative verb form===
 
..
 
The imperative is called the '''yeməpe'''
 
This is used for giving orders. When you utter an imperative you do not expect a discussion about the appropriateness of the action  (although a discussion about the best way to perform the action is possible).
 
For non-monosyllabic verbs ...
 
1) First the final vowel of the infinitive is deleted.
 
2) Then either -'''iya''' or  -'''eya''' is added. '''iya''' when commanding one person, '''eya''' when commanding more than one person. For example ...
 
'''doikiya''' = walk !
 
For monosyllabic verbs ...
 
1) -'''ya''' is added. For example ...
 
'''dó''' = to do
 
'''doya''' = do it !
 
The negative imperative is formed by putting the particle '''kyà''' before the infinitive.
 
'''kyà doika''' =  Don't walk !
 
There is no distinction for number in the negative imperative.
 
..
 
=== ... The indicative verb form===
 
..
 
The indicative is the most complicated verb form by far.
 
The indicative is called the '''hukəpe'''<sup>*</sup>
 
But first we must introduce a new letter.
 
..
 
[[Image:TW_191.png]]
 
..
 
This letter has not been mentioned so far because it doesn't occur in any words as such. It only occurs in the '''hukəpe'''.
 
So if you hear "r", you know you are hearing the main verb of a clause.
 
==== .. The doer====
 
The first piece of information that must be given in the indicative is who does the action. To do this you first ...
 
1) Deleted the final vowel from the infinitive.
 
2) Then one of the 7 vowels below is must be added. These indicate the doer..
 
[[Image:TW_109.png]]
 
Notice that there are 2 entries that represent the 1st person plural subject (i.e. we). The top one represents first person inclusive and the bottom one represents first person exclusive. 
 
Note that the '''ai''' form is used when you are talking about generalities ... the so called "impersonal form" ... English uses "you" or "one" for this function. 
 
The above defines the "person" of the verb. Then follows an "r" which indicates the word is an verb in the indicative mood. For example ...
 
'''doika''' = to walk
 
'''doikar''' = I walk
 
'''doikir''' = you walk
 
etc. etc. etc.
 
..
 
==== .. Tense====
 
..
 
In '''béu''' tense is usually shown not on the verb but is indicated by an adverb of time. This adverb can come anywhere in a clause but it has a strong tendency to come clause initial.
 
..
 
'''kaujin''' = a moment ago
 
'''kaukoi''' = earlier today
 
'''kaya''' = yesterday
 
'''kanga''' = the day before yesterday
 
'''kauku''' = the past
 
...
 
'''jindi''' = now
 
'''jondi''' = now
 
[ '''jìn''' is a noun meaning something like "moment". Obviously '''jindi''' is from '''jìn dí'''.
'''jòn''' is also a moment of time. Maybe equivalent to 10 or 15 '''jìn''' ]
 
...
 
'''taijin''' = in a moment, just
 
'''taikoi''' = later on today
 
'''tadi''' = tomorrow
 
'''tanda''' = the day after tomorrow
 
'''taiku''' = the future
 
..
 
To indicate the future, if the subject is human, often the word INTEND ??? is used. For example ... ??
 
Actually there is one tense in '''béu''' : the present tense which is shown by adding an "a". For example ...
 
'''doikara''' = I am walking
 
This tense is only used if the act is happening at the time of speaking. In contradistinction the English "-ing" suffix can turn up in time frames other than "now".
 
..
 
==== .. Aspect====
 
..
 
The perfect aspect is shown by adding an "i". For example ...
 
'''doikari''' = I have walked
 
The ending "u" can be considered the opposite of the above aspect. Lets call it the "not yet" aspect. For example ...
 
'''doikaru''' = I have not yet walked / I have not walked
 
If you have plain '''doikar''' it will often be judged to have "habitual" aspect. This of course depends a lot on the context in which '''doikar''' occurs<sup>**</sup>.
 
The negative of the '''doikar''' form is '''doikarju'''
 
-----
 
The -'''ra''' is only used for actions happening at the time of speaking. In English, the "to be - ing" construction is used for this. However the English "to be - ing" construction
is also used to fit one action inside another. For example "she came in when I was shaving" ... usually set in the past but in the future is also possible. This is called the imperfect aspect (I think). In '''béu''' you use the copula plus the infinitive with the -'''n''' '''pilana''' affixed. For example ...
 
'''por kyu tar''' SHAVE'''n''' ... ( Side Note ... In this example, SHAVE is in what is uaually called the "imperfective" in the Western Linguistic Tradition, a form that combines tense and aspect)
 
Note ... SHAVE'''n''' is similar to an adjective in that it follows the copula. However it differs from an adjective in an important way ... it can never be an attribute of a noun. The form SHAVE'''ana''' is the noun attribute.
 
...............XXX colour light green ................................
 
Note ... When you have the endings -'''ora''', -'''ori''' and -'''oru''' they are always shortened to just -'''ra''', -'''ri''' and -'''ru''', provided the final consonant of the infinitive is not '''w y h''' or '''ʔ'''. For example ...
 
'''doikri''' = he has walked
...............XXX colour light green ................................
 
<sup>*</sup>The symbol for "r" is called '''huka''' (meaning "hook"). The word '''hukəpe''' actually means "R-form" by the normal rules of word building ('''mepe''' means  form/shape).
 
<sup>**</sup>Different verbs have different likelihoods of being adjudged "habitual" when ending in "r". This likelihood is totally due to the internal semantics of the individual verb (which of course determine in which situations it is permissible to use the verb).
..
 
==== .. Negativeness====
 
..
 
The indicative mood is negativized by adding '''ju'''. For example ...
 
'''doikarju''' = I do not walk
 
The present tense is negativized as above but with addition of the word '''ku.i''' ( meaning "now"). For example ...
 
'''doikarju ku.i''' = I am not walking
 
Note - the "u" aspect can be considered the negative of the  "i" aspect and vice versa.
 
..
 
==== .. Probability====
 
..
 
There are two adverbs '''màs''' and '''lói'''.
 
As with all adverbs they can be placed almost anywhere in a sentence. However these two have a strong preference to be sentence initial.
 
'''màs doikori''' = maybe he has walked
 
'''lòi doikori''' = probably he has walked
 
You could say that the first one indicates about 50 % certainty while the second indicates around 90 % certainty.
 
..
 
-----------------------------
 
... The consecutive and simultaneous tenses ??
 
Earlier we mentioned the present tense. There are 2 further tenses in '''béu'''. However they aren't relative to NOW but relative to the last ROGER form verb.
 
The consecutive tense, '''eu''', shows that the action takes place after the time of occurrence of the previous ROGER form verb. For example ...
 
'''jana doikar moʒi solbeu''' = Yesterday I had a walk and then drank some water
 
The simultaneous tense, '''ai''', shows that the action takes place at the same time as the previous ROGER form verb. For example ...
 
'''jana doikar moʒi solbeu''' = Yesterday I walked about a bit while drinking water
 
Note ... verbs with these endings, even tho', they are in indicative mood, actually have the mood of the initial verb ???
 
..
 
=== ... The subjunctive verb form===
 
..
 
The subjunctive is called the '''sudəpe'''
 
The subjunctive verb form comprises the same person/number component as the indicative, followed by "s".
 
Now the main thing about the subjunctive is that it is not "asserted" ... it is not insisted upon ... there is a shadow of doubt as to whether the action takes place ( or will take place.
 
This is in contradistinction to the indicative mood. In the indicative mood things definitely happen, there are no two ways about it <sup>*</sup>
 
There are a few places that the subjunctive turns up. First of all there are a set of leading verbs that always change there trailing verbs to the subjunctive. For example ....
 
"want", "wish", "prefer", "request/ask for", "suggest", "recommend", "be afraid", "demand/command", "let/allow", "advise", "forbid" etc.
 
Now the trailing clause in these sentences started of by the above verbs, can either have an initial '''bò''' (equivalent to one of the uses of "that") or not have an initial '''bò'''. But this makes no difference to the trailing verbs, they must all be in the subjunctive mood.
 
Note ... whether the tail clause starts with a '''bò''' or not, depends upon a number of things. But basically the more complex the tail clause is, the more likely you are to have '''bò'''.
 
Another place you see the subjunctive is when they are in stand alone clauses. Again the key thing to remember is "non-assertion". In this case it is almost as if the clause is a question, that is how far the non-assertion goes. The speaker wants to have a discussion with the listener about the proposition. For example ...
 
In the first person ...
 
'''doikas''' can be translated variously as "maybe I should walk", "should I walk ?", "how about me walking", "may I walk"
 
'''doikais''' = Let's walk  ( urge.urge '''doikas''' = come on, lets walk )
 
That was the first person singular, in the second person the subjunctive is a very mild imperative. For example ...
 
'''doikis''' can be translated variously as "maybe you should walk", "why don't you walk", "how about you walking", "may you walk"
 
And the third person ...
 
'''doikos''' = "how about you walking", "let him walk", "may he walk"
 
The negative subjunctive is formed by adding '''ka'''. For example ...
 
'''doikoska''' = best not to let him walk. ( lest he walk ??? is this right ?? ... we gave him money lest he starve to death ))
 
(I gave him money to buy food .... I gave him money lest he be hungry)
 
A third place where the subjunctive can turn up is in conditional sentences. Both verbs in a conditional sentence are in the subjunctive mood.
 
<sup>*</sup>Of course you can add some doubt to the indicative by fronting the verb with the particle '''màs''' or '''lói'''. These particles are never added to any other mood.
 
..
 
=== ... The subjunctive 2 verb form===
 
..
 
he subjunctive 2 verb form comprises the same person/number component as the indicative, followed by "si".
 
Now the main thing about the subjunctive 2 verb is that the action did not take place. However even tho' the action never happened, we still want to talk about the contingency ... we want to talk about "what might have been".
 
The subjunctive 2 verb form is made negative by the same method as the infinitive is made negative.
 
This is a different mood ( I guess ) needs a different name ??? How about calling them the "base form", "command form", "tell form", "do-able form" and the "non-do-able form".
..
 
== ..... Short verb==
 
..
 
In a previous lesson we saw that the first step for making an indicative, subjunctive or imperative verb form is to delete the final vowel from the infinitive. However this is only applicable for multi-syllabe words.
 
With monosyllabic verbs the rules are different.
 
For a monosyllabic verbs the indicative endings and subjunctive suffixes are simply added on at the end of the infinitive. For example ...
 
'''swó''' = to fear  ... '''swo.ar''' = I fear ... '''swo.ir''' = you fear ... '''swo.or''' = she fears ... '''swo.uske''' = lest they fear ...... etc.
 
For a monosyllabic verb ending in '''ai''' or  '''oi''', the final '''i''' => '''y''' for the indicative and subjunctive. For example ...
 
'''gái''' = to ache, to be in pain ... '''gayar''' = I am in pain ... '''gayir''' = you are in pain ... etc. etc.
 
For a monosyllabic verb ending in '''au''' or  '''eu''', the final '''u''' => '''w''' for the indicative and subjunctive. For example ...
 
'''ʔáu''' = to take, to pick up ... '''ʔawar''' = I take ... etc. etc.
 
'''dàu''' = to arrive
 
'''cái''' = to depart
 
..
 
The above is the general rules for short verbs, however the 37 short verbs below the rules are different.
 
Their vowels of the infinitive are completely deleted for the indicative and subjunctive verb forms. For example ...
 
 
'''myàr gì''' = I love you ........................ not * '''mye.ar gì'''
 
'''pòr nambo''' = he enters the house ... not *'''poi.or nambo'''
 
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| '''ʔái''' = to want
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''mài''' = to get
  |align=center| '''myè''' = to like, to love
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''yái''' = to have
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''jòi''' = to go
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''jwèu''' = to undergo, to bear, to endure, to stand
  |-
  |align=center| '''fà''' = to know
  |align=center| '''fyá''' = to tell
  |align=center| '''flò''' = to eat
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''bái''' = to ascend
  |align=center| '''byó''' = to be able to
  |align=center| '''blèu''' = to hold
  |align=center| '''bwá''' = to exit
  |-
  |align=center| '''gàu''' = to descend
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''glà''' = to store
  |align=center| '''gwói''' = to pass
  |-
  |align=center| '''dó''' = to do
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''dwé''' = to come
  |-
  |align=center| '''lái''' = to change
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''cài''' = to use
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''cwá''' = to cross
  |-
  |align=center| '''sàu''' = to be
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''slè''' = to be under weak obligation
  |align=center| '''swé''' = to speak, to say
  |-
  |align=center| '''kó''' = to see
  |align=center| '''kyò''' = to show
  |align=center| '''klói''' = to think
  |align=center| '''kwèu''' = to turn
  |-
  |align=center| '''pòi''' = to enter
  |align=center| '''pyói''' = to be under strong obligation
  |align=center| '''plèu''' = to follow
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''tèu''' = to put
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center| '''twé''' = to meet
  |-
  |align=center| '''wàu''' = to request
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''náu''' = to give
  |align=center| '''nyáu''' = to return
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |-
  |align=center| '''háu''' = to be good
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |align=center|
  |}
 
 
The imperative suffix is -'''ya''' for singular and plural for all short verbs. For example ...
 
'''nyauya nambo''' = go home !
 
'''swoya''' = fear !
 
'''gaiya''' = be in pain !
 
'''ʔauya ʃì''' = take it !
 
Some nouns related to the above ... '''yaivan''' = possessions, property, '''flovan''' = food, '''dovan''' = products, '''nauvan''' = tax, tribute, '''glavan''' = reserves, '''dó''' = things that must be done, '''dwái''' = deeds, acts, actions, behaviour.
 
A particle related to the above ... '''yú''' ... a particle that indicates possession, occurs after the "possessed" and before the "possessor.
 
..
 
== ..... The copula==
 
..
 
There is one copula in '''beuba'''.
 
Its infinitive is '''sàu'''. Following the method of other verbs, its negative is '''jù sàu'''.
 
The indicative mood is derived from the infinitive in the usual method. So ...
 
'''sàr''' = I am
 
'''ʃìr''' = you are
 
'''sòr''' = he/she/it is
 
... and so on
 
In fact, the '''sàu''' copula is completely regular over all 5 verb moods, apart from one thing ... the indicative negative is formed by suffixing -'''ke''' instead of -'''ju'''.  For example ...
 
'''sorke''' = he/she/it is not
 
Actually the (present tense, positive) copula is usually dropped if there is no chance of a misunderstanding.
 
It is mostly used for emphasis; like when you are refuting a claim
 
Person A) ...  '''ʃirke moltai''' = You aren't a doctor
 
Person b) ...  '''sàr moltai''' = I AM a doctor
 
Another situation where the (present tense, positive) copula tends to be used is when either the subject or the copula complement are longish trains of words.  For example ...
 
'''solbua alkyo ʔá dori sùr sawoi''' = Those alcoholic drinks that she has made are delicious.
 
Unlike the other verbs, the copula has a different form for the past tense and a different form for the future tense. These are ...
 
'''tàr''' = I was
 
'''jàr''' = I will be
 
'''jarke''' = I won't be
 
etc. etc.etc.
 
(You could say that '''taiku sàr''' => '''tàr''' and '''jauku sàr''' => '''jàr''')
 
The forms ‘’’sor’’’ and ‘’’sur’’’ are invariably shortened to simply -‘’’r’’’ and stuck on to the end of the copula subject. ........................................XXX colour light green ................................
 
Similarly the forms ‘’’sorke’’’ and ‘’’surke’’’ are invariably shortened to simply -‘’’rke’’’ and stuck on to the end of the copula subject. ...............XXX colour light green ................................
 
Note ... In copular sentences there is not free word order. They must be "copula subject" followed by "copula" followed by "object". Copula subject does not take the ergative suffix -'''s'''.
 
The subjunctive forms are ...
 
'''sas''' and '''saske''' ... uses ???
 
There are only two imperative forms ... '''jiya''' and '''jeya'''
 
-----
 
In a later chapter ...
 
'''tari''' = I was already
 
'''taru''' = I was not yet
 
'''sari''' = I am already
 
'''saru''' = I am not yet
 
'''jari''' = I will be already
 
'''jaru''' = I will not yet be
 
------
 
There are 2 more words that might be considered copulaa ...
 
1) '''twài''' = to be located, to be placed .... perhaps an eroded form of a participle of '''tèu''' "to place"
 
2) '''yór''' = to exist ... a third person indicative form of the verb '''yái''' "to have". The third person indicative meaning is completely bleached in this usage.
 
..
 
==..... The Cardinal Numbers==
 
..
 
'''béu''' has a unique word for every number from 1 up to 1727<sub>10</sub>
 
For example ...
 
 
{| border=1
  |align=right| '''ela'''
  |align=left| = 6
  |-
  |align=right|  '''icauva'''
  |align=left| = 72<sub>12</sub>
  |-
  |align=right| '''idaiba'''
  |align=left| = 503<sub>12</sub>
  |-
  |align=right| '''idaigauba'''
  |align=left| = 543<sub>12</sub>
  |-
  |align=right| '''ulaigau'''
  |align=left| =  640<sub>12</sub>
  |}
 
..
 
These 1727 words are made up from smaller elements, using the duodecimal system. These smaller elements are shown in the table below ...
 
..
 
{| border=1
  |align=right| 100<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ajai'''
  |align=right| 10<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ajau'''
  |align=right| one =
  |align=left| '''aja'''
  |-
|align=right| 200<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''uvai'''
  |align=right| 20<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''uvau'''
  |align=right| two =
  |align=left|  '''auva'''
  |-
|align=right| 300<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ibai'''
  |align=right| 30<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ibau'''
  |align=right| three =
  |align=left| '''aiba'''
  |-
|align=right| 400<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''agai'''
  |align=right| 40<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ugau'''
  |align=right| four =
  |align=left| '''uga'''
  |-
|align=right| 500<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''idai'''
  |align=right| 50<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''idau'''
  |align=right| five =
  |align=left| '''ida'''
  |-
|align=right| 600<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ulai'''
  |align=right| 60<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ulau'''
  |align=right| six =
  |align=left| '''ela'''
  |-
|align=right| 700<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''icai'''
  |align=right| 70<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''icau'''
  |align=right| seven =
  |align=left|  '''oica'''
  |-
|align=right| 800<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ezai'''
  |align=right| 80<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''ezau'''
  |align=right| eight =
  |align=left| '''eza'''
  |-
|align=right| 900<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''okai'''
|align=right| 90<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''okau'''
  |align=right| nine =
  |align=left| '''oka'''
  |-
|align=right| T00<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''apai'''
  |align=right| T0<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''apau'''
  |align=right| ten =
  |align=left| '''iapa'''
  |-
|align=right|  E00<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''atai'''
  |align=right| ............. E0<sub>12</sub> =
  |align=left| '''atau'''
  |align=right| ............ eleven =
  |align=left| '''uata'''
  |}
 
Note ... I am using T to represent the number "ten", and E to represent the number "eleven".
 
To construct a number from the above ...
 
1) Select which elements you need. For example, for  543<sub>12</sub>, you will need the elements '''idai''' +  '''ugau''' + '''aiba'''
 
2) If the element is non-initial, delete the initial vowel of the element => '''idai''' +  '''gau''' + '''ba'''
 
3) And now, simply join the elements up => '''idaigauba'''
 
-----
 
You will noticed that 12 numbers over eleven have been shortened. For example the "regular" form for 20 would be  '''auvau''', but this is actually '''uvau'''.
 
Also the number 6, '''ela''' has been shortened. This would have been '''eula''' if everything was perfectly regular.
 
..
 
==..... The Ordinal Numbers & Fractions==
 
..
 
To get an fractional number (regarded as specifiers ... as all numbers are) you just attach '''s-''' to the front of the cardinal number. So we have ;-
 
..
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| a unit
  |align=center| '''saja'''
  |-
  |align=center| a half
  |align=center| '''sauva'''
  |-
  |align=center| a third
  |align=center| '''saiba'''
  |-
  |align=center| a quarter
  |align=center|  '''sida'''
  |-
  |align=center| etc.
  |align=center| etc.
  |}
 
..
 
These are fully numbers. They are written in the same way as numbers, except the have a squiggle above them. The squiggle looks like an "8" on its side that hasn't fully closed.
 
..
 
To get an ordinal number (regarded as adjectives) you just attach '''n-''' to the front of the cardinal number. So we have ;-
 
..
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| first
  |align=center| '''naja'''
  |-
  |align=center| second
  |align=center| '''nauva'''
  |-
  |align=center| third
  |align=center| '''naiba'''
  |-
  |align=center| fourth
  |align=center|  '''nida'''
  |-
  |align=center| etc.
  |align=center| etc.
  |}
 
..
 
May be this form originally came from an amalgamation of '''nò''' plus the number.
 
These forms are adjectives 100% and are always written out in full.
 
..
 
To get (I don't know what these are called) (regarded as a noun) you just attach '''b-''' to the front of the cardinal number. So we have ;-
 
..
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| alone, single
  |align=center| '''baja'''
  |-
  |align=center| a double, a twosome, a duality
  |align=center| '''bauva'''
  |-
  |align=center| a threesome, a trinity
  |align=center| '''baiba'''
  |-
  |align=center| a foursome, a quartet
  |align=center|  '''bida'''
  |-
  |align=center| etc.
  |align=center| etc.
  |}
 
..
 
Note '''bajai''' = lonely
 
..
 
== ..... The time of the day==
 
'''dé''' = day
 
The '''béu''' day begins at sunrise. 6 o'clock in the morning is called '''cuaju'''
 
The time of day is counted from '''cuaju'''. 24 hours is considered one unit. 8 o'clock in the morning would be called '''ajai''' (normally just called '''ajai''', but '''cúa ajai''' or '''ajai yanfa''' might also be heard sometimes).
 
 
{| border=1
  |align=center| 6 o'clock in the morning
  |align=center| '''cuaju'''
  |-
  |align=center| 8 o'clock in the morning
  |align=center| '''ajai'''
  |-
  |align=center| 10 o'clock in the morning
  |align=center| '''ufai'''
  |-
  |align=center| midday
  |align=center|  '''ibai'''
  |-
  |align=center| 2 o'clock in the afternoon
  |align=center| '''agai'''
  |-
  |align=center| 4 o'clock in the afternoon
  |align=center| '''idai'''
  |-
  |align=center| 6 o'clock in the evening
  |align=center|  '''ulai'''
  |-
  |align=center| 8 o'clock in the evening
  |align=center| '''icai''' 
  |-
  |align=center| 10 o'clock at night
  |align=center| '''ezai'''
  |-
  |align=center| midnight
  |align=center|  '''okai'''
  |-
  |align=center| 2 o'clock in the morning
  |align=center| '''apai'''
  |-
  |align=center| 4 o'clock in the morning
  |align=center| '''atai'''
|}
 
Just for example, let us now consider the time between 4 and 6 in the afternoon.
 
16:00 would be '''idai''' : 16:10 would be '''idaijau''' : 16:20 would be '''idaifau''' .... all the way up to .... 17:50 which would be '''idaitau
 
Now all these names have in common the element '''idai''', hence the period from 4 o'clock to 6 o'clock is called '''idaia''' (the plural of '''idai'''). This is exactly the same as us calling the period from 1960 -> 1969, "the sixties".
 
The perion from 6 o'clock to 8 o'clock in the morning is called '''cuajua'''. This is a back formation. People noticed that the two hour period after the point in time '''ajai''' was called '''ajaia'''(etc. etc.) and so felt that the two hour period after the point in time '''cuaju''' should be called '''cuajua'''. By the way, all points of time between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. MUST have an initial '''cuaju'''. For example "ten past six in the morning" would be '''cuaju ajau''', "twenty past six" would be '''cuaju afau''' and so on.
 
If something happened in the period from 4 o'clock to 6 o'clock, it would be said to have happened '''idaia.pi'''
 
Usually you talk about points of time rather than periods of time. If you arrange to meet somebody at 2 o'clock morning, you would meet them '''apaiʔe'''.
 
But we refer to periods of time occasionally. If some action continued for 20 minutes, it will have continued '''nàn ufau''', for 2 hours : '''nàn ajai''' ('''nàn''' means "a long time")
 
In English we divide the day up into hours, minutes and seconds. In '''béu''' they only have the '''yanfa'''. The '''yanfa''' is equivalent to 5 seconds. We would translate "moment" as in "just a moment" as '''yanfa''' also.
 
..
 
== ..... Index==
 
{{Béu Index}}

Latest revision as of 00:29, 4 December 2015

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Reason: Well I have moved all the data somewhere else.

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