User:Masako/pataka

Function words

Function words serve only grammatical functions. They have no meaning by themselves. Function words have to be used together with Content Words to form a meaningful sentence or phrase. Function words are a much smaller category in number but more frequently used. Kala function words are divided into a few subcategories; particles, conjunctions, and interjections.

Particles

ke

The direct object particle. It can often be omitted, especially in simple phrases, when the object is understood.

• na mita anya

1sg dog see

I see the dog.

• na tahe yempa ke mita anyaye

1sg be.under table O dog see-PST

I saw the dog under the table.

Conjunctions

There are three coordinating conjunctions in Kala and three correlative conjunctions:

coordinating

• ma - and; also

mita ina ma moku

dog eat and sleep

The dog eats and sleeps.

• ua - or

mita ina ua moku

dog eat or sleep

The dog eats or sleeps.

• ehe (me) - but; yet

mita ina me mokunke

dog eat but sleep-NEG

The dog eats but does not sleep.

correlative

• yema - both X and Y

mita ina yema empa

dog eat both.X.and.Y run

The dog both eats and runs.
The dog is eating and running simultaneously.

• ue - either X or Y

mita ina ue empa

dog eat either.X.or.Y run

The dog is either eating or running.

• uenke (uek) - neither X nor Y

mita ina uenke empa

dog eat neither.X.nor.Y run

The dog is neither eating nor running.

interjections

The most common interjections in Kala are as follows;

• kya - imperative particle

• kyo - imperative particle

• kyo'a - imperative particle

• nka - emphatic negative

• ya - vocative particle

• a - affirmative

• aya - expresses strong emotions such as surprise ('ah', 'argh') and pain ('ow')