Difference between revisions of "Belizean Creole/Grammar"

From LING073
Jump to: navigation, search
 
(→‎Pronouns: ~)
 
(50 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
[[Category: sp25_GrammarDocumentation]] [[Category: BelizeCreole]]
+
=== Regular Plurals ===
 +
Plurals are formed by preceding or following the noun with a determiner.
 +
* Nouns that refer to a specific limited set are pluralized by adding the word "dehn" after:
 +
** {{morphTest|prafit{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|prafit dehn}}
 +
** {{morphTest|disaipl{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|disaipl dehn}}
 +
** {{morphTest|lai{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|lai dehn}}
 +
* Nouns that refer to a set of two are preceded by the word "too":
 +
** {{morphTest|man{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|too man}}
 +
** {{morphTest|son{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|too son}}
 +
** {{morphTest|boy{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|too boy}}
 +
* Nouns that refer to one set rather than another set are preceded by the word "dehn":
 +
** {{morphTest|peepl{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|dehn peepl}}
 +
** {{morphTest|bred{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|dehn bred}}
 +
* Nouns that retain the English plural form are pluralized with a "z":
 +
** {{morphTest|day{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|dayz}}
 +
** {{morphTest|werd{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|werdz}}
 +
** {{morphTest|ting{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|tingz}}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== Verb Tenses ===
 +
Tenses are distinguished by use of an auxiliary added to the main verb.
 +
* Past tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "mi":
 +
** {{morphTest|tel{{tag|v}}{{tag|past}}|mi tel}}
 +
** {{morphTest|seh{{tag|v}}{{tag|past}}|mi seh}}
 +
** {{morphTest|chreet{{tag|v}}{{tag|past}}|mi chreet}}
 +
* Future tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "wahn":
 +
** {{morphTest|sayv{{tag|v}}{{tag|fut}}|wahn sayv}}
 +
** {{morphTest|shoa{{tag|v}}{{tag|fut}}|wahn shoa}}
 +
** {{morphTest|si{{tag|v}}{{tag|fut}}|wahn si}}
 +
* Past future tense is formed by preceding the verb with the words "mi wahn":
 +
** {{morphTest|geh{{tag|v}}{{tag|pf}}|mi wahn geh}}
 +
** {{morphTest|hapm{{tag|v}}{{tag|pf}}|mi wahn hapm}}
 +
* Past perfect tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "don":
 +
** {{morphTest|seh{{tag|v}}{{tag|pp}}|don seh}}
 +
** {{morphTest|tel{{tag|v}}{{tag|pp}}|don tel}}
 +
** {{morphTest|rayz{{tag|v}}{{tag|pp}}|don rayz}}
 +
 
 +
=== Pronouns ===
 +
Pronouns are distinguished by person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), number (singular, plural), and gender in third person (masculine, feminine, neuter).
 +
* Reflexive pronouns are formed by adding the suffix "self" to the object pronoun:
 +
** {{morphTest|mi{{tag|prn}}{{tag|pers}}{{tag|p1}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|ref}}|miself}}
 +
** {{morphTest|wi{{tag|prn}}{{tag|pers}}{{tag|p1}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|ref}}|wiself}}
 +
** {{morphTest|yu{{tag|prn}}{{tag|pers}}{{tag|p2}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|ref}}|yuself}}
 +
* Emphasis or clarification of pronouns is achieved by lengthening the final vowel:
 +
** {{morphTest|mi{{tag|prn}}{{tag|pers}}{{tag|p1}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|tn}}|mee}}
 +
** {{morphTest|wi{{tag|prn}}{{tag|pers}}{{tag|p1}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|tn}}|wee}}
 +
** {{morphTest|yu{{tag|prn}}{{tag|pers}}{{tag|p2}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|tn}}|yoo}}
 +
 
 +
=== Demonstrative determiners ===
 +
Demonstrative determiners are differentiated by proximity (proximal, distal) and number (singular, plural).  Unlike demonstrative pronouns, demonstrative determiners precede a noun.
 +
* {{morphTest|dis{{tag|det}}{{tag|dem}}{{tag|sg}}|dis}}
 +
* {{morphTest|da{{tag|det}}{{tag|dem}}{{tag|sg}}|da}}
 +
* {{morphTest|dis{{tag|det}}{{tag|dem}}{{tag|pl}}|dehn}}
 +
* {{morphTest|da{{tag|det}}{{tag|dem}}{{tag|pl}}|dehn}}
 +
 
 +
=== Reduplication ===
 +
Adjectives can be duplicated for emphasis.
 +
** {{morphTest|kwik{{tag|adj}}{{tag|advl}}|kwik kwik}}
 +
** {{morphTest|big{{tag|adj}}{{tag|advl}}|big big}}
 +
** {{morphTest|fool{{tag|adj}}{{tag|advl}}|fool fool}}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== Possessive Pronouns ===
 +
Possessive pronouns are formed by preceding the pronoun with either the word ¨fi" or ¨fo."  {{inlineComment|Looks like there's some typos here. -JNW}}
 +
** {{morphTest|ih{{tag|prn}}{{tag|p3}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|m}}{{tag|pos}}|fi hihn}}
 +
** {{morphTest|wi{{tag|prn}}{{tag|p2}}{{tag|pl}}{{tag|pos}}|fo wee}}
 +
** {{morphTest|ih{{tag|prn}}{{tag|p3}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|f}}{{tag|pos}}|fi shee}}
 +
 
 +
=== Degree Adverbs ===
 +
Degree adverbs are formed by adding the suffix ¨-li to an adjective.
 +
** {{morphTest|haad{{tag|adj}}{{tag|advl}}|haadli}}
 +
** {{morphTest|egzsak{{tag|adj}}{{tag|advl}}|egzsakli}}
 +
** {{morphTest|nay{{tag|adj}}{{tag|advl}}|nayli}}
 +
 
 +
=== Auxiliary Verb Negation ===
 +
Auxiliary verbs are negated by adding an ¨n" to the end of the word.
 +
* Past tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "mi":
 +
** {{morphTest|kud{{tag|vaux}}{{tag|neg}}|kudn}}
 +
** {{morphTest|shud{{tag|vaux}}{{tag|neg}}|shudn}}
 +
** {{morphTest|wud{{tag|vaux}}{{tag|neg}}|wudn}}
 +
 
 +
[[Category:sp25_GrammarDocumentation]] [[Category:Belizean_Creole]]

Latest revision as of 01:52, 17 May 2025

Regular Plurals

Plurals are formed by preceding or following the noun with a determiner.

  • Nouns that refer to a specific limited set are pluralized by adding the word "dehn" after:
    • prafit<n><pl> ↔ prafit dehn
    • disaipl<n><pl> ↔ disaipl dehn
    • lai<n><pl> ↔ lai dehn
  • Nouns that refer to a set of two are preceded by the word "too":
    • man<n><du> ↔ too man
    • son<n><du> ↔ too son
    • boy<n><du> ↔ too boy
  • Nouns that refer to one set rather than another set are preceded by the word "dehn":
    • peepl<n><pl> ↔ dehn peepl
    • bred<n><pl> ↔ dehn bred
  • Nouns that retain the English plural form are pluralized with a "z":
    • day<n><pl> ↔ dayz
    • werd<n><pl> ↔ werdz
    • ting<n><pl> ↔ tingz


Verb Tenses

Tenses are distinguished by use of an auxiliary added to the main verb.

  • Past tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "mi":
    • tel<v><past> ↔ mi tel
    • seh<v><past> ↔ mi seh
    • chreet<v><past> ↔ mi chreet
  • Future tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "wahn":
    • sayv<v><fut> ↔ wahn sayv
    • shoa<v><fut> ↔ wahn shoa
    • si<v><fut> ↔ wahn si
  • Past future tense is formed by preceding the verb with the words "mi wahn":
    • geh<v><pf> ↔ mi wahn geh
    • hapm<v><pf> ↔ mi wahn hapm
  • Past perfect tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "don":
    • seh<v><pp> ↔ don seh
    • tel<v><pp> ↔ don tel
    • rayz<v><pp> ↔ don rayz

Pronouns

Pronouns are distinguished by person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), number (singular, plural), and gender in third person (masculine, feminine, neuter).

  • Reflexive pronouns are formed by adding the suffix "self" to the object pronoun:
    • mi<prn><pers><p1><sg><ref> ↔ miself
    • wi<prn><pers><p1><pl><ref> ↔ wiself
    • yu<prn><pers><p2><sg><ref> ↔ yuself
  • Emphasis or clarification of pronouns is achieved by lengthening the final vowel:
    • mi<prn><pers><p1><sg><tn> ↔ mee
    • wi<prn><pers><p1><pl><tn> ↔ wee
    • yu<prn><pers><p2><sg><tn> ↔ yoo

Demonstrative determiners

Demonstrative determiners are differentiated by proximity (proximal, distal) and number (singular, plural). Unlike demonstrative pronouns, demonstrative determiners precede a noun.

  • dis<det><dem><sg> ↔ dis
  • da<det><dem><sg> ↔ da
  • dis<det><dem><pl> ↔ dehn
  • da<det><dem><pl> ↔ dehn

Reduplication

Adjectives can be duplicated for emphasis.

    • kwik<adj><advl> ↔ kwik kwik
    • big<adj><advl> ↔ big big
    • fool<adj><advl> ↔ fool fool


Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns are formed by preceding the pronoun with either the word ¨fi" or ¨fo." Looks like there's some typos here. -JNW

    • ih<prn><p3><sg><m><pos> ↔ fi hihn
    • wi<prn><p2><pl><pos> ↔ fo wee
    • ih<prn><p3><sg><f><pos> ↔ fi shee

Degree Adverbs

Degree adverbs are formed by adding the suffix ¨-li to an adjective.

    • haad<adj><advl> ↔ haadli
    • egzsak<adj><advl> ↔ egzsakli
    • nay<adj><advl> ↔ nayli

Auxiliary Verb Negation

Auxiliary verbs are negated by adding an ¨n" to the end of the word.

  • Past tense is formed by preceding the verb with the word "mi":
    • kud<vaux><neg> ↔ kudn
    • shud<vaux><neg> ↔ shudn
    • wud<vaux><neg> ↔ wudn
Retrieved from "http://wikis.swarthmore.edu/ling073/index.php?title=Belizean_Creole/Grammar&oldid=26328"