101
2
ts’ ɿ
2
ɣɯ
1
t’a
1
mo he
see don’t
meet ‘Don’t look at him’ Fu 1997:200
Negative imperatives referring to first or third person subjects is produced by adding ‘not right’ after the verb Fu 1997:201.
102
2
ŋa
2
bo
2
a
2
t ʂɯ
I go
not right
‘I mustn’t go’ Fu 1997:201
6 Adjectives
Adjectives differ from verbs in that they directly modify nouns, whereas verbs do not Björverud 1998:61. They are properly called “adjectival verbs” and differ from “action” verbs in that adjectives
Matisoff 1973:193–4, 316 • are followed by fewer verb particles,
• are more limited in forming verb chains, and • reduplicate more frequently than action verbs.
They take prefixes meaning ‘greater extent’ and ‘lesser extent’, while verbs do not Fu 1997:116.
6.1 Bisu adjectives 6.1.1 Six types
Xu distinguishes six types of adjectives on semantic grounds 2001:91–92: 1. Shapes of objects
2. Qualities of objects 3. Speed, quantity, and weight of objects
4. Nature and mood of people and objects 5. Sensations
6. Temporal and spatial conditions. In addition, Xu notes that antonyms are common Xu 2001:91.
6.1.3 Form
The form of adjectives is characteristic. Adjectives are bisyllabic with the prefix aŋ
33
- preceding a monosyllabic root. There are “a few isolated” exceptions Xu 2001:90. For example, deletion of the
prefix is predictable when Xu 2001:91 • the negative adverb precedes the adjective,
• an intensifier follows the adjective, • the adjective is in the comparison construction or in certain reduplicated forms, and
• the adjective is followed by an adverb “expressing a change in appearance or situation.”
6.1.4 Juxtaposition of adjectives
Juxtaposing two different adjectives while maintaining their prefixes produces a coordinate structure, while juxtaposing their roots without the prefix, always showing some form of reduplication, produces a
single usually intensified meaning. Compare:
103 naŋ
33
ʑa
31
ki
33
aŋ
33
vai
31
aŋ
33
khjaŋ
55
you child
fast diligent
‘Your child is dexterous as well as hardworking.’ Xu 2001:95 104 vai
31
vai
31
khjaŋ
55
khjaŋ
55
fast fast work work
‘hardworking’ Xu 2001:93
6.1.5 Reduplication
There are four types of adjective reduplication in Bisu: • The root is reduplicated without the adjectival prefix, giving a bisyllabic word; this bisyllabic word
can sometimes be augmented with an additional medial adverb, giving a trisyllabic word: 105 bisyllabic:
aŋ
33
moŋ
33
= high; moŋ
31
moŋ
31
= very high Xu 2001:92
trisyllabic: aŋ
33
moŋ
55
= long; moŋ
55
m ɯ
55
moŋ
55
= really long Xu 2001:92 m
ɯ
55
=and Xu 2001:115
• The entire bisyllabic adjective can be reduplicated, giving a quadrisyllabic word: 106 complete reduplication:
aŋ
33
saŋ
55
= clean; aŋ
33
saŋ
55
aŋ
33
saŋ
55
= very clean Xu 2001:92 • The roots of two complementary adjectives can each be reduplicated and adjoined, producing a
quadrisyllabic word: 107 quadrisyllabic:
aŋ
33
vau
55
= busy; aŋ
33
ki
55
= hurried; Xu 2001:93 vau
55
vau
55
ki
55
ki
55
= hurriedly, hastily no comment on adverb • The quadrisyllabic word that is formed from two complementary adjectives, each reduplicated and
adjoined to form a quadrisyllabic word, can be reduced to a trisyllabic word. This always produces an intensified meaning:
108 trisyllabic: aŋ
33
paŋ
55
= black; aŋ
33
saŋ
55
= clean; paŋ
55
saŋ
33
saŋ
55
= pitch black Xu 2001:93 reduced
aŋ
33
pon
31
= white; aŋ
33
saŋ
55
= clean; pon
31
saŋ
33
saŋ
55
= pure white Xu 2001:93
6.1.6 Increased emphasis or intensity
