N-mai-wa noka eBook 63 Taber Luang Grammar Phonology

229 A-la’ku namehrawa a-laka-’u na-mehra-wa My-foot-POS 3s-sick-PERF ‘My foot already hurt.’ 230 Wonira amla’awa loru-wa wonira a-m-la’awa lora-wa yesterday 1pe-1pe-go sea-PERF ‘Yesterday morning we had already gone to sea.’ Discourse examples in peak: The following sentences occur in direct succession in peak in a given text. 231 a. Dewade de Teti Lai na-wali pa n-mai-wa Then then Teti lai 3s-return to 3s-come-PERF ‘Then Teti Lai returned,’ b. Yoma ar di de Miru Lewna r-rehi ar-wa yoma ara di de Miru Lewna r-rehi ara-wa because battle this that Miru Lewna 3p-win battle-PERF ‘because this very battle Miru Lewna won.’ c. Dewade Teti Lai n-mai-wa. then Teti Lai 3s-come-PERF ‘Then Teti Lai came.’

d. N-mai-wa noka

Miru Lewan n-iwra na-wenan-wa n-mai-wa noka Miru Lewna n-iwra na-wenna-wa 3s-come-PERF then Miru Lewan 3s-want 3s-fight-PERF ‘He came, then Miru Lewna wanted to fight.’ The clitic -wa also is used in commands. A completed aspect is used to tell someone to do something immediately. 232 mu-’una-wa 2s-eat-PERF ‘Eat right now.’ 3.6.2.1.3 Durative ‘nande’ Nande indicates multiple action of indefinite duration. Nande is often said in a very long drawn out way as if indicating a long length of time. 233 r-wa-kin-nande 3p-rec-kiss-DUR ‘They kept kissing.’ 234 r-wa-hak-nande 3p-rec-search-DUR ‘They kept looking.’ Note the sentence examples below: 235 Wonira awei nande. wonira awei nande yesterday 1s-wait DUR ‘Yesterday I waited and waited.’ 236 Kete na’nama nor mam-ni n-wa-trom pa r-wa-kini-nande Kete na’nama n-ora mama-ni n-wa-troma pa r-wa-kini-nande Kete just 3s-with mother-POS 3s-MULT-meet for 3p-MULT-kiss-DUR ‘When Kete first saw her mother again they kissed and kissed.’ 237 Rma-r-ala de n-kakru-nande 3p-come-3p-bring that 3s-cry-DUR ‘When they came and got her she cried and cried.’ 3.6.2.1.4 Durative ‘taru’ Taru indicates durativity and definitive finality of the verb. It implies something set into motion not easily stopped by someone else. It seems to collocate frequently with verbs having to do with promises, agreements, taboos which have to do with God, the spirit world, and ritual traditions. 238 r-tamni-taru-a 3p-bury-DUR-it ‘They buried it there.’ and it stayed buried 239 n-kons-taru 3s-key-DUR ‘He locked it.’ and it stayed locked 240 Na muanke’a n-wa-rin-tiaru la patke’a roma-lew na muanke’a n-wa-rini-taru la patke’a roma lew and male 3s-MULT-leave-DUR at female house-bed ‘And the man was left behind at the woman’s home.’ marriage ceremony 241 Rwei-wei-rnarnara lera maka har nelu-taru r-wei-wei-r-nara-nara lera maka hare nelu-taru 3p-RDP-wait-3p-RDP-wait day which they promise-DUR ‘They waited and waited for the day that they had set.’ for the wedding 242 Maka Uplerlawna na-kot-taru Maka Uplerlawna na-kota-taru What God 3s-said-DUR ‘That which God has promised.’ 3.6.2.1.5 Progressive ‘reri’ Reri indicates progressive aspect. It indicates an action which is in progress. It often collocates with verbs of carrying. 243 naninreri ‘heshe is sleeping’ namtatanreri ‘heshe is sitting’ npaikpiaikreri ‘heshe is reading’ napalreri ‘heshe is facing’ ntera-ndemreri ‘heshe is pouring’ nakwarrerlia ‘heshe carries on shoulder’ nranreria ‘heshe is lifting up’ ntoranreria ‘heshe is holding on to’ Note the sentence examples below: 244 Ha-p-pe’a ida na-ten-tienin-reri la nu’nu nai-ni ha-p-pe’a ida na-tenni-tenni-reri la nu’nu nai-ni 3s-STAT-old one 3s-RDP-weave PRO at banyan below-POS ‘As he went he came upon an old women weaving below a banyan tree.’ 245 M-lin-mu-at-reri-a ami lia nohkerna m-lina-mu-atu-reri-a ami la nohkerna 2s-listen-2s-see-PRO-OBJ us on earth ‘You are watching over us on earth.’ 246 A-ma-’uli-ma-wed-reri-a o-kot-mu-o-nan-mu a-ma-’uli-ma-wedi-reri-a o-kotu-mu-o-nana-mu 1pe-1pe-praise-1pe-worship-PRO-OBJ your-title-POS-your-name-POS ‘We always praise and worship your name.’ 247 A’-u-mkek-reri-a la ralam-ni de u-mkek-nana hni-uri-w-ni-a’ana a’-u-mkeka-reri-a la ralma-ni de u-mkeka-nana ni-huri-ni-wa’ana 1s-1s-see-PRO-OBJ at inside-GEN then 1s-see-ABIL NOM-water-NOM-feed ‘When I was looking inside I was able to see a flock.’ 3.6.2.1.6 Progressive e- The proclitic e- indicates progressive aspect. It is the encliticized form of the verb eda sing. form or era pl. form ‘to be’. Occasionally it appears in its full form. Generally it is a proclitic on the verb it modifies. It is often used in combination with other progressive or durative aspectual markers. 248 Pa er rtamintargala pa er r-tamni-taru-a-la for PRO 3p-bury-DUR-OBJ-LOC ‘They are burying it there.’ 249 Er la rkor lai rtati dari er la r-kor lai r-tati dari PRO AUX 3p-scratch sand 3p-throw-net ‘They are fishing.’ 250 Eda hnor larni la wo’kawur eda n-hora lara-ni la wo’ora kawru PRO 3s-sew sail-POS PREP mountain mountain ‘He is sewing his sail in the mountains hills.’ 251 Lgona n-kern ulu pa e-ra-kota Lgona 3s-dry first so PRO-3p-say ‘Luang was the first to dry so they were talking about it.’ 252 Riy e-ra-tiaka puohra people PRO-3p-guarding gate ‘People were guarding the gate.’ 253 R-rora r-mehlim pa e-ra-wok mak k-mehlima r-rora r-mehlima pa e-ra-woka maka k-mehlima 3p-two 3p-marry so PRO-3p-gather who REL-marry ‘The two of them were to marry so they were gathering together the ones marrying.’ 254 Mel di e-ra-woka-ra-le’eg-a ra Mela di e-ra-woka-ra-le’u-a ra night this PRO-3p-gather-3p-circle-OBJ those ‘This night they are gathering them together. 255 Na’nama e-r-tor papai ida Then PRO-3p-bore baby one ‘Then they were giving birth to a child.’ In combination with mia’ta ‘still’ and reri progressive: 256 Yan mi-m-ta’ata e-n-mor-mior mia’ta yana mi-m-ta’ata e-n-mori-mori ma’ta do not 2p-STAT-afraid PRO-3s-RDP-live yet ‘Do not be afraid he is still living.’ 257 Israil re e-ra-wuwu-ra-wei-reri-a Israil those PRO-3p-wait-3p-wait-PRO-OBJ ‘Those Israil people were waiting and waiting.’ 3.6.2.1.7 Abilitative ‘nana’ There is no free standing word for can, or able in Luang. In traditional Luang, one either simply states an action implying ability or else the enclitic -nana can indicate abilitative mood. In every day speech there is a tendency to borrow bisa ‘can’ from Indonesian. 48 However this is not considered good language. Sometimes ability can also be indicated by the use of atu ‘know how to’. 258 na-m-keka-nana 3s-STAT-see-ABIL ‘He was able to see.’ 259 ra-tlin-nana 3p-hear-ABIL ‘They are able to hear.’ Notice the sentence examples below. 260 Dewade nwet-nana oleka kok-koi-wa dewade n-weta-nana oleka kok-koi-wa then 3s-quiz-ABIL already RDP-riddle-PERF ‘Then he was already able to solve the riddle.’ 261 A’g ed maka k-wewal-nana wehla dina me kewur di a’u eda maka k-wewla-nana wehla di-na me kewru di 1s am who REL-made-ABIL machete this-CONJ and basket-this? ‘I am the one who was able to make this machete and basket.’ 262 Edonna l-la’a ma’ta leta ralam-ni de n-wa-trom-nana patke’a ida edonna n-la’a ma’ta leta ralma-ni de n-wa-troma-nana patke’a ida Not 3s-go yet village inside-GEN that 3s-MULT-meet-ABIL female one ‘Before he had even gone into the village he met a woman.’ lit. had the good fortune to meet a woman It is possible for the verb to drop leaving only the mood marker nana. Sometimes it is used in polite imperatives. 263 a. Mwai pe itla’awa Apunwa. mu-mai pe it-la’a-wa Apnu-wa 2s-come for 1pi-go-PERF Ambon-PERF ‘Come, let us go to Ambon’ 48 There is no debitive mood in Luang which in English and other languages is indicated by the words ‘must’ or ‘should’. In every day speech ‘musti’ or ‘harus’ are borrowed from Indonesian. However in formal or written language Luang people insist that they should not use these borrowed terms. A statement, modified by only the word for ‘later’ hota, is the correct way to indicate this mood. b. Repra nana tomorrow ABIL ‘Tomorrow we can.’ besok boleh, Indonesian c. Seri nana Seri ABIL ‘Look what Seri can do’ 3.6.2.1.8 Nana as polite imperative: 264 Mihru-nan atasu di pa aga’atla motru m-ihru-nana a-tasu di pa au-a’ata-la motru 2s-hold-IMP 1s-bag that for 1s-get up PREP motorboat ‘Hold my bag while I climb on the motorboat.’ 3.6.2.1.9 Teka Teka can indicate imperative or attemptive mood. 265 mukotteka mu-kota-teka 2s-say-IMP ‘Go say’ 266 Tlamkekteka t-la’a-m-keka teka 1pi-go-STAT-see ATT ‘Let us go see’ Notice the following sentence examples: 267 Noka gari ni-wra “Demade a-wa’al-teka.” then younger 3s-said “Then 1s-MULT-throw-ATT ‘Then the younger said, “Let me have a try.”’ 268 M-lia mi-hulti-mi-hamar-tek-la lera mat-ni mu-la mi-hulti-mi-hamra-teka-la lera mata-ni 2p-go 2p-seabird-2p-journey-ATT-to sun eye-GEN ‘You try and journey to the eye of the sun.’ 269 Ta-tian-teka Hindi e-n-odi ya-’ana-y-emnu me edonna. 1pi-ask-ATT Hindi DUR-3s-carry NOM-eat-NOM-drink or not ‘Let us ask Hindi if he is carrying food and water or not.’ 3.6.2.1.10 Evidential ‘eti’ Eti is an evidential marker indicating that what the speaker says is definitive. It often occurs on negative statements. 270 edon n-mai-eti neg 3s-come-DEF ‘He never comes.’ 271 na-pling-eti 3s-not know DEF ‘He does not know at all.’ Note the following sentence examples: 272 Id mana edon r-lernan-eti one even not 3p-find-DEF ‘They did not even find one.’ 273 Na-pling-eti ina n-ora Mina r-mati oleka-wa 3s-do not know-DEF mother 3s-and Mina 3p-die already-PERF ‘They did not even know that mother and Mina had already died.’ 274 Mere ira edonna r-lernan-eti But they did not 3p-find-DEF ‘They did not find them at all.’ 275 Totpena nter-eti-a owa’ana Tia’ata tota-pena n-ter-eti-a owa’ana Tia’ata make-so 3s-break-DEF again Tia’ata ‘So they could really break apart Tia’ata again.’ 3.6.2.2 Object marker enclitic -a The enclitic –a occurring with verbs is a difficult particle to pin down in Luang. Although it appears that in Luang this particle does function for phonological purposes, that of helping the words flow together and guarding against stilted speech as a result of word boundaries coming together with unnatural consonant clusters, the -a also appears to be driven in part grammatically as well. When a transitive verb does not have a direct object following it, it may have the marker -a following it. However, this is only the case if the speaker wants to indicate an object without focusing on it. The -a is not obligatory. Sometimes this clitic may occur as well as the direct object. In this case it may be functioning as prominence or focus at the discourse level or it may just function phonologically to keep a smooth flow between words. If an adverb follows the verb, the a attaches to the adverb rather than the verb. Sometimes the –a enclitic also occurs with nouns. See the discussion of this in §3.1.4. 276 a. au-plinu 1s-do not know ‘I do not know.’

b. au-plinu-a