Dal'qörian prepositions alternative uses
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te-to
In dal'qörian, the preposition te is not used in infinite phrases (to walk, to sleep etc) except when equating an English gerund (see Nouns). It is only used with nouns or pronouns. The definite and indefinite articles ni/di-a/the are not used with te; it already means to, to the or towards depending on the context of the sentence:
- binä, te qaƒéj, esti göria. I’m just going to the shop.
néƒaracte
Usually meaning contrary to, this is also used in tag questions where in English, you would say: isn’t it/wasn’t it/weren’t they/aren’t you etc, though it 'must' go at the end of a sentence. It then translates as not true, contrary/opposite to the fact.
- taÞ mosödrämös gé'éagöra, néƒaracte? That was a good show, wasn’t it?
- binä, máriÞ séÞa, tädø, néƒaracte? I’m tired of this, aren’t you?
It is 'not' used at the beginning of a sentence where, in English, you put the tag question first in questions of uncertainty:
- Aren’t you the man off the tv?
- Isn’t it the 6 o’clock train we’re supposed to be catching?
Again, néƒaracte must go last and takes the same voice intonation as we would in English:
- diö di sáj, taÞ vön di salta’visöraj, néƒaracte?
If you say:
- néƒaracte di sáj, taÞ vön di salta’visöraj?
then this would translate as: Contrary to the man who is on the tv.
In dal'qörian, questions of uncertainty are rendered the same way as tag questions. néƒaracte is also used in the same way as the German word doch: to contradict a statement:
- diö ábrax eÞöa nömæaj, yil? néƒaracte! Haven't you any money? Yes (I do/on the contrary)
néƒaracte can also be used as an interjection that equates to the English use of really! honestly! well I never! etc: (the intonation in the voice should raise up at the end of the word):
- mæ döbátr,, taÞ mæ nöacr didér senta bréjel,, ön brát vädenárax qemést. néƒaracte? He reckons that he can drink ten pints without getting drunk. Honestly! Really!
You can also reply with: néƒaracte qoÞ-yeah right/whatever
qöri vs dörac-through
It is important to know the differences between these two prepositions. dörac means through as in direction, time or motion and also renders during:
- ména mösár, dörac dörÞ, gör. We have to go through there.
- sia gä’ságr, taÞ sia, dörac di qömbla, raƒöræ diöra. She said she’d phone you during the week.
qöri means through as in because of/as a result of:
- di vitihærádn, qöri stæmeÞodicrlámn, gä’ábrapädr stötsérämös. The government has lost support through (because of/as a result of) inefficiency.
Here’s an example of where both prepositions might come together:
- minäla, dörac di qömbla, qöri di dostébrostnämös qve mæöra, gä’ádravisör mæöra sä mæ gä’spélögr quacrialbájan, Þörámi mæ, giráte vägámn, gä’Þalárax andri ábæÞabödä. Through his own stupidity, although he was supposed to be off work sick, he was seen through the week playing football. (lit: They, through the week, through (as a result of) the stupidity of him, had seen him as he played football, although, due to illness, he resided not at work).
näø vs retƒac
Like qöri and dörac, these also have slightly different uses. näø is used when something has ‘finished’. However, it can also be used as a conjunction if it is followed by a subject and verb, in which case it does 'not' follow preposition word order:
- diö nöacr, näø taÞ, görør. You can go out after that.
but:
- diö nöacr görør,, näø diö gä’ábrastæabetár. You can go out after you have finished.
- binä vaquiræ ni etári,, näø séÞa inpöträmös qve salta’visöraj gä’ábrastæabetár. I’ll make a cuppa after/when this programme has finished.
retƒac is used to render movement/motion, and is also used colloquially to mean behind:
- gör diöra retƒac beröj,, ön ságr diöra,, taÞ mæ mösár nöreÞár solegasas! Go after your brother and tell him to come back immediately!
- binä gé’patiquálö, taÞ sia, retƒac binöra, gä’Þalár¿ I was sure she was behind me.
qve
This is the only preposition in the dal'qörian language that does 'not' adhere to preposition word order. In fact, qve is almost exclusively used only in possesive constructions:
- danöÞ di beröj qve binöra. There’s my brother. (lit: There is the brother of me).
- di ábæødöraj qve di salta’visöraj näocr, am træpindij, brát tirigör¿ The TV manual might still be in the box. (lit: The instruction manual of the television could, in the box, still remain).
