Béu : Chapter 6 : Derivations

Welcome to béu

..... All sorts of people and how to derive them

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English has many methods for naming people after their place of origin, The most common one is "er" as in Londoner, Dubliner. Also there are many interesting variations on the theme -"ian". For example Glaswegian, Aberdonian, Manchurian. However quite a number of places lack an appropriate derivational suffix. For example ... what do you call somebody from LA, or from San Fransisco ?

There is only one method in béu. The word pú "person" is placed just before the place name ... pú london "a/the Londoner", pú mancestə = "a/the Manchurian".

For plurals ... mpu is used ... mpu glazgo "Glaswegians", mpu abərdin "Aberdonians".

Note ... there is never any joining up of the words. Somehow it is always easier to get affixes to stick to the main word. I don't know why.

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The very top professions, the ones that require a lot of book learning take the suffix -tai. For example molwi is a verb, meaning "to treat a patient" ... that is "interpreting the symptoms, giving medicine/physical repair/diet-advice/what-have-you, then observation and follow up as necessary". From this verb is derived the word moltai "doctor".

The professions not quite so prestigious, but still requiring a fair bit of book learning take the suffix -do. For example háun is a verb meaning "to teach". From this verb is derived the word haundo "teacher".

There is a third suffix that is used in the make up of many job titles ... the suffix -bau*. Actually this is one of the rare cases of polysemy in béu. One meaning is "one providing muscle power". For example heubau means farmhand and implies no special knowledge or skills what-so-ever. In fact with heubau there is a connotation of seasonal work as opposed to steady employment. The other meaning is "one having acqired great skill with his hands". For example a diamond cutter is called mahayabau (mahaya = diamond). This category includes all professional sportsman. Also skilled craftsmen such as furniture makers, boat builders etc. So people we consider artisans or artificers will have this affix on their job titles.

Another suffix that is part of many job titles is -fai. Basically used for the owner/manager of a shop. For example the owner/manager of a fruit shop is a gozofai (fruiterer ??) (his staff would probably be called gozobau.a. And although nothing to do with a shop ... heufai "farmer", heubau "farmhard".

Other suffixes that produces many word applicable to people, is the -mai/-mi pair. In Ch 2 in the OLUS section, we have discussed the words that have a countable/uncountable double life depending on whether they end in i or ai. For example toti means "children in general" in the same way "wheat" in English, means "wheat in general". totai means 'one unit of children in general " (or simply "a child"). Now one suffix shares this duality ... the mi/mai suffix ... mostly used for belief systems or political movements. For example ... telemai" = "a socialist" (from tele "to share"). Now the translation for "socialism" is telemi. This looks a bit strange at first brush. But if you think about it more ... what better name for a movement.telemi" means "the sum of all socialists in the world". By extention it means "the actions, feelings and thoughts of all the socialists in the world" ... if not a good definition of socialism I don't know what is.

* Probably originally from mbau "a pair of hands"

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[ Note to self : sort out the below]

kludau = to write : kludado = a clark, a scribe

kwè = to turn : kwebau = a turner (lathe operator)

ʔazwo = milk : ʔazwobau = milkman

pulis = the police : pulizdo = a policeman

delmoibau = metalworker : weubau = a truck driver

accountant < count

weaver, baker, brewer, butcher, builder

ʔài = same : ʔaimai = a communist : ʔaimi = a communism

beumai = a follower of béu : beumi = "the congregation of béu" or "the béu movement"

to compete, to strugglemai => a capitalist

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..... Derivation

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Derivational morphology often involves the addition of a derivational suffix or other affix. Such an affix usually applies to words of one lexical category (part of speech) and changes them into words of another such category. For example, the English derivational suffix -ly changes adjectives into adverbs (slow → slowly).

Examples of English derivational patterns and their suffixes:

adjective-to-noun: -ness (slow → slowness)
adjective-to-verb: -ize (modern → modernize)
adjective-to-adjective: -ish (red → reddish)
adjective-to-adverb: -ly (personal → personally)
noun-to-adjective: -al (recreation → recreational)
noun-to-verb: -fy (glory → glorify)
verb-to-adjective: -able (drink → drinkable)
verb-to-noun (abstract): -ance (deliver → deliverance)
verb-to-noun (agent): -er (write → writer)

Derivation can be contrasted with inflection, in that derivation produces a new word (a distinct lexeme), whereas inflection produces grammatical variants of the same word.

Generally speaking, inflection applies in more or less regular patterns to all members of a part of speech (for example, nearly every English verb adds -s for the third person singular present tense), while derivation follows less consistent patterns (for example, the nominalizing suffix -ity can be used with the adjectives modern and dense, but not with open or strong).

Derivation can also occur without any change of form, for example telephone (noun) and to telephone. This is known as zero derivation. [ All the above from "wikipedia" under "linguistic derivation" ]

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We have already seen the béu inflections ... Ch 1.5 : plurality ... Ch 2.9 : case system ... Ch 3.1.2 => 3.14 : verb paradigm.

béu also uses many derivational processes. It has a large inventory of affixes used for derivation. The diagram below shows the five main derivational processes which are absolutely fundamental to the working of the language.

Most nouns can be used as adjectives just by placing them directly after the noun they are qualifying. Like "school bus" in English. For example ...

solbes moze = a drink of water

Also there is a particle yó joining the possessed to the possessee ... however it is rarely used.

"John's house" => nambo yó jono .... but more usually nambo jono

This is zero derivation and is marked as ø in the above diagram.

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We have already remarked on the saidau => saidaus and the maŋga => maŋgas transforms [ Ch 2.1 ].

These are marked as S in the above diagram.

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The remaining two transformations shown on the diagram are for verbalization. Actually the affix -ko is added to all adjectives or nouns in order to make a verb. However in one circumstance this affix is not needed. This is for the R-form based on a multi-syllable adjective or noun. For example ...

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yubau = strong

yubako = to strengthen

pazba yubara = I am strengthening the table .... note not pazba *yubakara

pazba yubaku = strengthen the table (a command)

pazba yubakis = you should strengthen the table

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pona = hot

ponako = to heat up

ponara moze = I am heating up some water .... note not *ponakara moze

ponaku moze = heat up some water (a command)

ponakos moze = he/she should heat up some water

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bàu = man

bauko = to man (exact same meaning as in English)

baukara téu dí = I am manning this position

bauku téu dí = man this position (a command)

baukos téu dí = he/she should man this position

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gèu = green : geuko = to make green

naike = sharp : naikeko = to sharpen

keŋkia = salty : keŋkiko = to add salt ... when the adjective ends is a diphthong (and is non-monosylabic) the last vowel is dropped.

keŋkikara = "I am adding salt" .... note not *keŋkara ... this is because keŋkia is a derived word.

sài = colour : saiya = colourful : saiwa = colourless : saiko = to paint (maybe via *saiyako)

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Note ... -ko is possibly an eroded version of gàu ( "to do" or "to make" ).

Note ... There seems to be a method of deriving a two place verb from a one place verb by affixing -n. For example ... diadia = "to happen" : diadian = "to cause". While this mechanism is seen all over the language I have not mentioned it in the chart above. This is because I consider it non-productive. I count daidia and diadian both as base words. In a similar way that English speakers consider "rise" and "raise" independent words, "lie" and "lay" independent words and "sit" and "set" independent words.

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The diagram above shows second tier derivational processes. Notice that there are not many processes connecting "noun" and "verb". Also notice the plethora of processes for constructing adjectives. Normally if the suffix begins with a vowel ... then the final vowel(s) on the word are deleted. If the suffix begins with a consonant ... normally nothing is deleted. But for la and da ... preceding diphthongs are reduced.

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..... ia & ua ................. noun => adjective

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keŋko = salt : keŋkia = salty, having salt : keŋkua = lacking salt

nambo = a house : nambias = a home-owner : nambuas = a homeless person

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..... ia & ua .................. verb => adjective

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The passive participle is formed by affixing -ia to the infinitive. For example ...

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laudo = to wash/launder : laudia = washed ... [ laudias = item that has been washed. nò laudias = laundered clothes ]

kludau = to write : kludia = written ... [ kludias = the one that is written => a note ]

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The obligation participle is formed by affixing -ua to maŋga. For example ...

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Actually the form -ua by itself can be a participle when it qualifies a noun. For example ...

laudo = to wash/launder : laudua = to be washed ... [ lauduas = a soiled item of clothing : nò lauduas = a pile of clothes to be washed ]

toili kludua = the book that must be written

kluduas = that which must be written => an (school) assignment

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If the verb is a mono-syllable then the final vowels are not deleted. Instead -ia => -ya and -ua => -wa. For example ...

glù = to know : gluya = known : gluwa = to be found out : gluyas = that which is known : gluwas = that which must be found out

[ the conjunction plùa might be derived from the verb plèu "to follow" ... slightly askew derivational form ... slightly skewed derived meaning ]

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..... u- .......(prefix)..........V A => V A

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The inverse operator is the prefix u and it can be applied to adjectives, nouns and verbs ...

mutu = important : umutu = unimportant

kludanau = writer : ukludanau = a non-writer

tata = to tangle : utata = to untangle

Below is the commonest verbs that take this prefix ...

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kunja	to fold	ukunja	to unfold
laiba	to cover	ulaiba	to uncover
fuŋga	to fasten, to lock	ufuŋga	to unfasten, to unlock
benda	to assemble, to put together	ubenda	to take apart, to disassemble
pauca	to stop up, to block	upauca	to unstop
senza	to weave	uzenza	to unravel
fiŋka	to put on clothes, to dress	ufiŋka	to undress

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Note ... having the same prefix as inverse operator for nouns, verbs and adjectives can cause a bit of ambiguity. For example ...

kunja = to fold

kunjana = the folder

ukunjana .... does this mean "the unfolder" or "the one who does not fold" ? ... but we can live with a touch of ambiguity.

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I have not mentioned this prefix in any diagram.

[ taitau = many : utaitau = few / nan = for a long time : unan = not for a long time ?? }

Positive and negative connotations ...

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In the 4 (lexical category changing) derivational processes illustrated above, it can be seen that the sufffix ia seems to be associated with positivity and the sufffix ua with negativity.

Also in the 2 (lexical category unchanging) derivational processes illustrated above, it can be seen that the preffix u seems to be associated with negativity.

Perhaps also the past tense -i (positive with respect to realization) and the past tense -u (negative with respect to realization) is an extention of this pattern.

So perhaps béu speakers feel -ia has a positive connotation and -ua or u- have a negative connotation.

This pattern seems to be confined to affixes though. When it comes to lexical words this pattern is not* seen.

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* Well some common words seem to pattern the same way. For example ... bù "not", úa "to run out"/"to be used up", ìa "to complete"/"to finish".

But other words seem to pattern in the exact opposite way. For example ... kyà "don't", aiya "no", ʔaiwa "yes".

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..... kai- ....(prefix)......... A N => N

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gèu = green : kaigeu = the green ones

sadu = elephant : kaizadu = elephant-kind, "the elephant" (as a species)

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..... pau- ...(prefix)............ N => N

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This usually designated something that is deemed essential to some larger object. Often something man-made.

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pauwau = a pair of spectacles

pau-clock = hand (of a clock)

pau.elza = Earpods

paudufa = a watch

paukwo = spoke

pau-bow = arrow

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...... sa- .....(prefix).............V => A

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liza	to hear	saliza	nice sounding
mwé	to see	samwe	pretty, worth seeing
flò	to eat	saflo	tasty, delicious
solbe	to drink	sazolbe	nice to drink
gàu	to do	sagau	worth doing
mài	to get	samai	sizeable, significant
mbe	to hold	sambe	sexy, hot, nubile, attractive
?ái	to want	sa?ai	cute (used especially of children)

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..... -be ............................. V => A

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liza	to hear	lizbe	audible
mwé	to see	mwebe	visible
flò	to eat	flobe	edible
solbe	to drink	solbebe	drinkable
gàu	to do	gaube	doable
mài	to get	maibe	permissible, permitted, allowable, allowed
mbe	to believe	mbebe	believable

umbebe = unbelievable

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epus mbor solbe ?azwo => ?azwo r solbebe somebody can drink milk => milk is drinkable

The general pattern is : epus mbor X Y => Y r Xbe

epus mbor mbe gò jono r tumu => gò jono r tumu r mbebe => r mbebe gò jono r tumu somebody can believe that John is stupid => that John is stupid is believable => it is believable that john is stupid

-be is probably derived from mbe "to hold" ... the word béu uses to express root possibility

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..... -bis / -dus .................. N => A

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These affixes basically change nouns into adjective although bis also changes a few adjectives into other adjectives.

The meaning that bis contributes is "attracted to", "liking", "tending towards", "accustomed to" or "addicted to".

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ái	white	aibis	faded
lozo	grey	lozobis	grizzled
pà	I	pabis	selfish
mama	mother	mambis	motherbound
nambo	house	nambis	domesticated
"cool"	cool	coolbis	crepuscular
"warm"	warm	warmbis	cold blooded
toili	book	toilibis	bookish	toilibian	a bookworm
alka	alcohol	alkabis	fond of alcohol	alkabian	an alcoholic
alha	flower	alhabis	attracted to flowers	*alhabian	a bee
ʔinte	ant	ʔintebis	fond of ants	ʔintebian	an anteater, pangolin or aardvark

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As you can see, the derived word can have some erosion. For example ... *mama.bis => mambis and *nambo.bis => nambis. Two things decide whether a derived word get eroded ...

1) Frequency of use ... the most commonly used words tend to lose some phonemes.

2) How the main worrd and the -bis shape up together. For example in mama.bis that sluty m and that horny b could not wait to get it together (they were made for each other).

By regular morphological processes the last item above (for instance) would turn out as *ʔintebizan. However all adjectives derived using the -bis affix get eroded when -an is appended ... hence ʔintebian.

In fact all the -bis words have a -bian equivalent, but in the above table I have only written down the 4 most common ones.

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The meaning that dus contributes is "to be repelled by", "to disagree with", "disliking", "scared of", "avoiding" or "hating".

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mpu	people	mpudus	timid, shy (of an animal)
moze	water	mozdus	rabid
kòi	sun	koidus	nocturnal	koiduan	a nocturnal animal
ʔazwo	milk	ʔazwodus	lactose intolerant	ʔazwoduan	lactose intolerant person
peugan	society	peugandus	antisocial	peuganduan	a hermit

By regular morphological processes the last item above (for instance) would turn out as *peuganduzan. However all adjectives derived using the -dus affix get eroded when -an is appended ... hence peuganduan.

In fact all the -dus words have a -duan equivalent, but in the above table I have only written down the 3 most common ones.

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One interesting word is ʔargobis "demanding" (adjective). In English it is as if I-want-ish had coalesced and formed a single word. Probably related(derived) to ʔargobis is ʔargoduan "one who strives for a stress free life" (a sort of hippy).

An important group of technical words are derived from walau "a/the storm cloud" (by the way, the name for a normal cloud is ?alaus). They are ...

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walduan "electron" (think lightning)

waldus "negative charge" (a back formation from walduan)

walbis "positive charge" is (obviously derived from waldus)

walgan "electrical charge"/"electricity" ... (very easy to see where this word comes from)

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*alhabian is archaic. In the modern language, "bee" is simply habian.

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..... -a => -ai .................... N => A

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aŋgwa = harmony => aŋgwai = graceful, elegant, poetic

bawa = men => bawai = male, masculine

gala = women => galai = female, feminine

wuda = wood => wudai = sturdy, durable

sopa = a corpse* => sopai = smelly

sufa = a corpse** => sufai = decomposed or morally corrupt : sufaimi = this usuall means moral corruption ... offering and excepting bribes etc.

hanya = mammal => hanyai = honest

saka = bark => sakai = rough .... soka = skin

hala = rock => halai = permanent

alha = flower => alhai = fragrant

fida= wind => fidai = temporary

fona = rain => fonai = pure

*Non-human

**Human

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sekla = the material called "glass", sekla = made of glass, seklas = a glass

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ʔà = one => ʔài = same, identical => ʔàis = the same one

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... uʒi (ʒi) ...................... V => A

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to drink	solbe	fond of drinking	solbuʒi
to play	lento	playful	lentuʒi
to rest/relax	loŋge	lazy	loŋguʒi
to lie	selne	untruthful by disposition	selnuʒi
to work	kodai	diligent	koduʒi

eskua = to be angry : eskuʒi = "bad tempered" : eskula = angry : eskuas = fit of temper, outburst

If the verb is monosyllabic or ends in n, then -ʒi is used instead of -uʒi.

swó = to fear : swoʒi = feignt-hearted, cowardly : swola = frightened : swolo = terrible

heuno = "to be sad" : heunon = "to make sad" : heunonʒi = depressing

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... la ............................... V => A

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The present participle is formed by affixing -la to the infinitive. If the final vowel verb is a diphthong it drops its last bit. For example ...

kludau = to write : kludala = "writing just now"

solbe = to drink : solbela = "drinking at this moment"

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... da .............................. V => N

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kludau = to write : kludada = a scriptorium

flò = to eat : floda = a restaurant

solbe = to drink : solbeda = a bar

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... gu .............................. N => N

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gù = master, lord

gwí = lady mistress

landlord

houselord

shiplord

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... mo ............................. V => N

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This is actually an infix. It signifies a tool that facilitates the action. For example ...

kludau = to write : kludamo = a pen

solbe = to drink : solbemo = a straw

cwá = to cross : cwamo = a bridge

kwè = to turn : kwemo = an axle

bái = to rise : baimo = a ladder

An interesting extention of the above is baiməfan meaning "index", "table of contents", "look up table" or "list"

It means literally "a duo of ladders" ... the idea behind this word can be seen below ...

In English "list" can be thought of as one dimensional ... in béu however, two dimentional ... either with a column numbering each item, or a column for ticking off after an item has been dealt with (bought).

Table or matrix are translated using the ...béu word for "net".

slòi = to flow : sloimo = drains

gàu to do : gaumo = a tool

pila = to set/place/position/to put something in its proper position and orientation : pilamo = the 17 particles that show "case"

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... nyo .............................. V => N

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plòi = to use : ploinyo = a machine

gàu = to do : gaunyo = a robot

blá = to speak : blanyo = the telephone

wè = to think : wenyo = a computer

ngeu = to fly : ngeunyo = an aeroplane

bái = to rise : bainyo = an elevator

kwè = to turn : kwenyo = lathe

mwé = to see : mwenyo = TV

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wèu = a vehicle : weunyo = a motor, an engine

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... te ............................... A => A

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hìa = red : hiate = reddish

jutu = big : jutute = somewhat large

lelte = music : lelpa = to sing : lelpai = a song : leldo = a singer

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... uma ........................... N => N

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The augmentative ...

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nambo = a house : nambuma = a mansion : nambumai = mansions

Sometimes this affix has the form -huma. For example ...

pú = a person : puhuma = a giant : puhumai = giants

bàu = a man : bauhuma = a male giant

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... ita .............................. N => N

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The diminutive ...

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nambo = a house : nambita = a cottage

Sometimes this affix has the form -ʔita. For example ...

pú = a person : pu?ita a dwarf

bàu = a man : bauʔita = a male dwarf

This affix often has the connotation ... "the speaker feels affection for the noun so transformed". But note ... the opposite affix uma has no undercurrent of "revulsion"

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... ti .............................. N => N

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The smallest part of ...

moze = water : mosti = a drop

panti = crumbs : pan? = bread

punti = brickbat : pun? = brick

doti = a step, a stride : doika = to walk

sosti = a snowflake : sos = snow .... sospe = a snowdrop

gosti = a segment (of an orange)

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... ija .............................. N => N

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Used for the young of an animal ...

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lata = a cow : latija = a calf

fanfa = a horse : fanfija = a foal

huŋgu = a swan : huŋgija = a cygnet

Some very common animals have a form even more trunkated. For example ...

waulo = a dog : waulja = a pup

mèu = a cat : meuja = a kitten

Occasionally you come across the form -ʔija. For example ...

nuaʔija = a mouse pup

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..... More Derivations

..... moi ...................... metal

metal = delmoi

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copper = ʔolimoi

bronze = pwemoi

iron/steel = gumoi

tin = fujemoi

lead = wobumoi

aluminium = yekimoi

zinc <= needle ??

gold = koimoi ... kòi = sun, day (24 hours)

silver = deumoi ... dèu = moon

..... fu ......................... shop

shop/stall = kanfu

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kanfu pabla = a stall .... "stall" usually simply designated as pabla "table"

gozəfu = a fruit shop, a fruit stall

..... ba ..................... language

A tongue, a language = limba

..... po ........................ tree

trees = ʔupo

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Apple trees = amapo

Mango trees = byopo

..... so ................ fruit/nuts/berry

gozo = fruit

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apple = almazo

orange = koizo < sun fruit

mango = byozo

..... pai ...................... leaf

a leaf = lapai

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Apple tree leaf = almapai

Mango tree leaf = byopai

etc. etc. etc.

..... se ...................... liquid

water = moze

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almaze = apple juice

koize = orange juice

habian = bee

bianze = honey ... (some erosion here)

fainze = sauce : fáin = to enrich

..... dai ................... small bird

bodai = small birds

..... di .................... small bird

bodi = a small bird

... sai ....................... fish

a/the fish (countable) = fizai

a cuttlefish = byozai

... si ......................... fish

fish (uncountable) = fiʒi

cuttlefish = byoʒi

... gai .............. belief/theory

... gau ............ field of study

A field of study, a subject = megau

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peugəŋgau = the entirety of human knowledge

laigau = calculus

... peu .................. fellow

ampeu = a comrade, a fellow, a peer, someone of the same social status as you and on friendly terms with you. Not exactly a friend but you rub along with this person for mutual advantage. Emotionally neutral ... between friend and enemy.

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polji = womb ... poljəpeu = a twin

hodo = class (in a school) ... hodəpeu = a class mate

donəpeu = a companion

yearpeu = somebody born in the same year as you

namepeu = a namesake, somebody with the same name as you

countrypeu = a compatriate

gòs = aim, objective, purpose, goal ... gospeu = a comrade, a fellow traveller

All these words are their own plural

... heu ................. station

farm = anhèu

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ngeuheu = an airport

gaudoheu = factory

tunheu = a townhall .... tun = rule, power

The original meaning of anhèu is "farm" .... i.e. a sort of spread out place where many activities take place. There are store houses and/or workshops related to these different activities plus a fair amount of open space.

From this original meaning, hèu has become an affix with the meaning "station". As in police station, army base, petrol station, townhall etc. etc.

... TO THINK ABOUT

... adjectives => verbs

For example ...

geukari = I turned it green ... notice that ʃì "it" can be dropped because geuko is V2.

geukari tái = I turned myself green

tezari gèu = I became green

The difference in meaning of the above two examples, is that tezari gèu says nothing about volition (or effort) while geukari tí has connotations of both.

jwari geuko = I was made green

The above has suggests volition (and effort) but by a third party.

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READ ABOUT SWEDISH ETC ETC UNDER CAUSATIVES ...

... verbs => nouns

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Actually verbs in their infinitive form can be considered nouns also. For example ...

gàu = to do, to make ... but it can also be translated as "deed" or "action".

If an action can result in (or be strongly connected to) some physical object. In that case the name of the physical object is derived from the verb by deleting the final vowel of the infinitive and adding "u". For example ...

gàu = to make, to produce : dú = a product, an artifact

nàu = to give : nù = a gift

solbe = to drink : solbu = a drink

The -u ending always gives a countable noun ... also tangible, sort of.

To produce uncountable nouns the suffix -fan is often used. For example ...

naufan = tribute, tax

dofan = products

solbefan = drinks

yái = to have : yaifan = possessions, property

glà = to store : glafan = reserves

Note ... yó is not a noun, but a particle that indicates possession, occurs after the "possessed" and before the "possessor.

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..... The sides of an object

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sky nambon = above the house

awe (rá) nà sky nambon = the bird is above the house .... sometimes nà can be left out as well ... awe sky nambon = the bird is above the house (a phrase) the NP (the bird above the house) ....

earth nambon = under the house

face nambon = front of the house

arse nambon = behind the house

kà = side

aibaka = a triangle

ugaka = a square

idaka = a pentagon

elaka = a hexagon

ò atas nambo = he/she is above the house ... however if "house" is understood, and mention of it is dropped, we must add ka to atas ... for example ...

ò ataska = he/she is above

daunika = underneath

liʒika = on the left hand side

luguka = on the right hand side

noldo, suldo, westa, istu niaka, muaka faceside backside etc. etc.