Classifiers The measure phrase

116 A GRAMMAR OF THE MUNA LANGUAGE 215 ko-tolu-ghulu-ha-e all three of them KO-three-CLAS-HA-it 216 ko-ra-wua-ha-e both of them KO-two-CLAS-HA-it When this derivation is used attributively with a noun, the ko-part need not be present: 217 no-ti-puru kuli-no se-ghulu-ghulu-ha-e 3sR-ACC-peel skin-his one-RED-body-HA-it the skin on his whole body peeled off 7. Prefix fe-, meaning divide into x; do the action denoted by the verb x times 10.2.4: 218 ne-fe-raa-weta he splits it in two 3sR-FE-two-side 219 no-fe-tolu-bhera-e she breaks it in three 3sR-FE-three-part-it 220 do-fe-raa-ka-rugi-mo they suffered a loss twice 3pR-FE-two-NOM-lose-PF

5.7.4. Classifiers

Classifiers are a subset of nouns; they function in a measure phrase between the prefixed numeral and the head noun. A noun in Muna can only be modified by a numeral with the help of a classifier. Thus, raa-dahu two dogs needs a classifier between raa- two and dahu dog to make the phrase complete, in this case the classifier ghulu : raa-ghulu dahu is the correct counterpart of two dogs. Classifiers are also called counters Walker 1982 or numeral coefficients Anceaux 1952 There are twelve classifiers in Muna. They will be given below, followed by their literal meaning, a specification of the type of nouns they classify, together with a few examples and possible exceptions. Many classifiers are also common nouns, but some classifiers are not. Those classifiers therefore do not have a meaning of their own, which is indicated by a hyphen. Classifier literal meaning specification example 1. mie person people robhine woman anahi child 2. ghulu body animals kadadi animal ghule snake also: kandulua pillow kambewe k.o.dish 3. pughu tree trees foo mango ghai coconut 4. poi - stone kontu stone 5 THE NOMINAL PHRASE 117 5. sau wood certain oblong wangka tooth body parts wuna-no lima finger 6. tuwu - clothes, material bheta sarong made of cloth sala trousers kapusuli handkerchief 7. mata eye sharp, pointed kapulu machete objects polulu axe deu needle 8. woka - household equip- piri plate ment that is round mangko bowl and shallow kawali frying pan kasongko lid, cover katinti sieve 9. pele - oblong objects sau stick putolo pencil ghubhe beam kaharo broom 10. tangke leaf thin and flat roo leaf objects dopi board ponda mat wulu-no fotu head hair karatasi paper 11. wua fruit 1.fruits that are kalei banana not small and ghai coconut round kapaea papaya 2.household equip- tonde glass ment that is round sere teapot and can either be bhele tin closed or filled butolo bottle or has contents in kantalea lamp,light itself komforo kerosene stove 3.furniture medha table lamari cupboard 12. ghonu seed everything else, such as: 1.small, round foo mango objects ghunteli egg golu ball singkaru ring 2.large objects bhangka boat lambu house liwu village, country 118 A GRAMMAR OF THE MUNA LANGUAGE Wua and ghonu are the most commonly used classifiers; they are also found with new objects that do not fit neatly into one of the other categories, for example se-wua sentere a flashlight, but also: se-ghonu sentere. The dividing line between wua and ghonu is not always clear; size is probably the distinguishing factor: ghonu is used for either small round objects or really big objects, wua takes the objects in between: 221 a. se-ghonu lemo a lemon one-CLAS lemon b. se-wua lemo bhala-no a grapefruit one-CLAS lemon big-A.PART The reduplicated numeral se-ise one can also function in a measure phrase, as in se-ise ka-nea aone custom. In such cases the reduplicated numeral is probably re-analysed as the prefixed numeral se- plus a classifier ise. It is found with certain non-concrete objects: kanea custom, panaki illness, ilimiu magical knowledge, ponamisi feeling, and seems to be limited to the numerals one and two raa-ise. The derivation ko-ra-ise-ha-e both of them is also found.

5.7.5. Measure nouns