Difference between revisions of "Limbu/Grammar"

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===Number in the Limbu language===
+
==Number in the Limbu language==
  
 
Singular, Plural, '''Dual'''
 
Singular, Plural, '''Dual'''
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The Limbu language has both a plural and a dual form, where the dual form is seen as a special case of the non-singular (plural) form.
 
The Limbu language has both a plural and a dual form, where the dual form is seen as a special case of the non-singular (plural) form.
  
−
===Form and Examples===
+
===Plurals===
 
* Plurals are formed in this language through the addition of the suffix <<ᤄᤠ>> (gʰa)
 
* Plurals are formed in this language through the addition of the suffix <<ᤄᤠ>> (gʰa)
−
** {{morphTest|ᤐᤢ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤐᤢᤄᤠ}}  [pu ("bird")/pugʰa]
+
** {{morphTest|ᤐᤢ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤐᤢᤄᤠ}}  [pu ("bird")/pugʰa ("birds")]
−
** {{morphTest|ᤋᤱ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤋᤱᤄᤠ}}  [toŋ ("arrow")/toŋgʰa]
+
** {{morphTest|ᤋᤱ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤋᤱᤄᤠ}}  [toŋ ("arrow")/toŋgʰa ("arrows")]
−
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣᤄᤠ}}  [ambɛ ("mango")/ambɛgʰa]
+
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣᤄᤠ}}  [ambɛ ("mango")/ambɛgʰa ("mangoes")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠᤄᤠ}}  [sapla ("book")/saplagʰa ("books")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔᤄᤠ}}  [ra:m ("Ram")/ra:mgʰa ("Rams")]
  
 +
===Duals===
 
* Duals are formed in this language through the addition of the suffix <<ᤄᤠᤇᤡ>> (gʰachi)
 
* Duals are formed in this language through the addition of the suffix <<ᤄᤠᤇᤡ>> (gʰachi)
−
** {{morphTest|ᤐᤢ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤐᤢᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [pu ("bird")/pugʰachi]
+
** {{morphTest|ᤐᤢ{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|ᤐᤢᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [pu ("bird")/pugʰachi ("two birds")]
−
** {{morphTest|ᤋᤱ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤋᤱᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [toŋ ("arrow")/toŋgʰachi]
+
** {{morphTest|ᤋᤱ{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|ᤋᤱᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [toŋ ("arrow")/toŋgʰachi ("two arrows")]
−
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣ{{tag|n}}{{tag|pl}}|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [ambɛ ("mango")/ambɛgʰachi]
+
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣ{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [ambɛ ("mango")/ambɛgʰachi ("two mangoes")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [sapla ("book")/saplagʰachi ("two books")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔ{{tag|n}}{{tag|du}}|ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔᤄᤠᤇᤡ}}  [ra:m ("Ram")/ra:mgʰachi ("two Rams")]
  
  
 +
'''Gender:'''
  
 +
There is minimal grammatical gender in this language and it is largely derivational.
 +
 +
Gender is reflected in some handful of the nouns in Limbu which refer to ethnicity, kinship terms, or some handful other terms related to people.
 +
 +
There exist two grammatical genders - male and female
 +
 +
* Male
 +
* These are formed through the addition of the suffix <<ᤐᤠ>> (pa) or <<ᤒᤠ>> (ba)
 +
** ᤏᤠᤰ -> ᤏᤠᤰᤐᤠ  [nak ("nephew")/nakpa ("nephew MASC")]
 +
** ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠ -> ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠᤒᤠ [mɛncha ("grandson")/mɛnchaba ("grandson MASC")]
 +
** ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ -> ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ᤒᤠ  [lamsa ("nephew")/lamsaba ("nephew MASC")]
 +
 +
* Female
 +
* These are formed through the addition of the suffix <<ᤔᤠ>>
 +
** ᤏᤠᤰ -> ᤏᤠᤰᤔᤠ  [nak ("nephew")/nakma ("niece")]
 +
** ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠ -> ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠᤔᤠ  [mɛncha ("grandson")/mɛnchama ("granddaughter")]
 +
** ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ -> ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ᤔᤠ  [lamsa ("nephew")/lamsama ("niece")]
 +
 +
==Genitive case==
 +
The base case is the Absolutive case in Limbu.
 +
 +
===Regular===
 +
* The Genitive case (expressing possession) is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤅᤠᤱ>> (ŋaŋ)
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|gen}}|ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡᤅᤠᤱ}}  [napmi ("man")/napmiŋaŋ ("man's")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤂᤩᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|gen}}|ᤂᤩᤠᤅᤠᤱ}}  [khya ("dog")/khyaŋaŋ ("dog's")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤕᤰᤐᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|gen}}|ᤀᤕᤰᤐᤠᤅᤠᤱ}}  [ayakpa ("cat")/ayakpaŋaŋ ("cat's")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤁᤖᤁᤘᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|gen}}|ᤁᤖᤁᤘᤠᤅᤠᤱ}}  [kararkwa ("chicken")/karakwaŋaŋ ("cat's")]
 +
 +
===Irregular===
 +
* If preceded by a dental stop, the <<ᤅᤠᤱ>> changes to a <<ᤏᤠᤱ>>
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤐᤡᤋ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|gen}}|ᤐᤡᤋᤏᤠᤱ}}  [pit ("cow")/pitnaŋ ("cow's")]
 +
 +
* If preceded by a bilabial consonant, the <<ᤅᤠᤱ>> changes to a <<ᤔᤠᤱ>>
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤡᤗᤠᤶ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|gen}}|ᤀᤡᤗᤠᤶᤔᤠᤱ}}  [ilam ("path")/ilammaŋ ("path's")]
 +
 +
==Vocative case==
 +
* The Vocative case (used to address) is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤣ>> (E) or <<ᤥ>> (o) where the latter cannot be added to -i or -u ending words.
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤔᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|voc}}|ᤀᤠᤔᤠᤣ}}  [ama ("mother")/amo ("O mother")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤐᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|voc}}|ᤀᤠᤐᤥ}}  [apa ("father")/apo ("O father")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤆᤠ᤺ᤔᤠᤱ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|voc}}|ᤆᤠ᤺ᤔᤠᤅᤥ}}  [cha:maŋ ("crop god")/cha:maŋo ("O crop god")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|voc}}|ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡᤀᤣ}}  [napmi ("man")/napmiE ("O man")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤐᤢ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|voc}}|ᤐᤢᤀᤣ}}  [pu ("bird")/puE ("O bird")]
 +
 +
==Comitative case==
 +
* The Comitative case (used to express 'with') is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤏᤢᤱ>> (nuŋ)
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤔᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|com}}|ᤀᤠᤔᤠᤏᤢᤱ}}  [ama ("mother")/amanuŋ ("'with' mother")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤠᤐᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|com}}|ᤀᤠᤐᤠᤏᤢᤱ}}  [apa ("father")/apanuŋ ("'with' father")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤛᤣᤒᤠ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|com}}|ᤛᤣᤒᤠᤏᤢᤱ}}  [sɛba ("friend")/sɛbanuŋ ("'with' friend")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤆᤢᤶ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|com}}|ᤆᤢᤶᤏᤢᤱ}}  [chum ("chum")/chumnuŋ ("'with' chum")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤋᤣ᤺ᤱ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|com}}|ᤋᤣ᤺ᤱᤏᤢᤱ}}  [teŋ ("partner")/teŋnuŋ ("'with' partner")]
 +
 +
==Ablative case==
 +
* The Ablative case (used to express 'from') is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤏᤢᤱ>> (nuŋ) or <<ᤗᤠᤠᤶ>> (lam)
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤏᤣᤐᤠᤸ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abl}}|ᤏᤣᤐᤠᤸᤏᤢᤱ}}  [nepal ("Nepal")/nepalnuŋ ("from Nepal")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤁᤠᤌᤔᤠᤴᤍᤢ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abl}}|ᤁᤠᤌᤔᤠᤴᤍᤢᤗᤠᤠᤶ}}  [kathmandu ("Kathmandu")/kathmandulam ("from Kathmandu")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤐᤩᤠᤱᤛᤡ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abl}}|ᤐᤩᤠᤱᤛᤡᤏᤢᤱ}}  [pyaŋsi ("paddy field")/pyaŋsinuŋ ("from the paddy field")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abl}}|ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱᤏᤢᤱ}}  [yakthuŋ("Limbu")/yakthuŋnuŋ ("from Limbu")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤑᤥᤃᤡᤍᤥ{{tag|n}}{{tag|sg}}{{tag|abl}}|ᤑᤥᤃᤡᤍᤥᤏᤢᤱ}}  [phogido ("Bhutan")/phogidonuŋ ("from Bhutan")]
 +
 +
==Tense in Limbu==
 +
Limbu only has two tenses - past and non-past, where non-past is unmarked.
 +
 +
===Past Tense===
 +
* The past tense is marked in Limbu through the addition of the suffix <<ᤧ>> (ɛ) to a finite verb, but is not used separately as often as in other languages such as English, as the past is implied through the use of other words. Thus, past and non-past are often the same words in inflection. The infinitive form is often used as the base case.
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤀᤡᤶᤔᤠ{{tag|v}}{{tag|past}}|ᤀᤡᤵᤛᤧ}}  [imma ("to sleep")/i{ps}e ("slept")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤗᤡᤶᤔᤠ{{tag|v}}{{tag|past}}|ᤗᤡᤶᤍᤧ}}  [limma ("to taste sweet")/lim{d}e ("tasted sweet")]
 +
** {{morphTest|ᤛᤥ᤺ᤔᤠ{{tag|v}}{{tag|past}}|ᤛᤥ᤺ᤛᤧ}}  [so:ma ("to itch")/so:{s}e ("itched")]
  
 
[[Category:Limbu]]
 
[[Category:Limbu]]
 
[[Category:sp25_GrammarDocumentation]]
 
[[Category:sp25_GrammarDocumentation]]

Latest revision as of 00:35, 13 March 2025

Number in the Limbu language

Singular, Plural, Dual

The Limbu language has both a plural and a dual form, where the dual form is seen as a special case of the non-singular (plural) form.

Plurals

  • Plurals are formed in this language through the addition of the suffix <<ᤄᤠ>> (gʰa)
    • ᤐᤢ<n><pl> ↔ ᤐᤢᤄᤠ [pu ("bird")/pugʰa ("birds")]
    • ᤋᤱ<n><pl> ↔ ᤋᤱᤄᤠ [toŋ ("arrow")/toŋgʰa ("arrows")]
    • ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣ<n><pl> ↔ ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣᤄᤠ [ambɛ ("mango")/ambɛgʰa ("mangoes")]
    • ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠ<n><pl> ↔ ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠᤄᤠ [sapla ("book")/saplagʰa ("books")]
    • ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔ<n><pl> ↔ ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔᤄᤠ [ra:m ("Ram")/ra:mgʰa ("Rams")]

Duals

  • Duals are formed in this language through the addition of the suffix <<ᤄᤠᤇᤡ>> (gʰachi)
    • ᤐᤢ<n><du> ↔ ᤐᤢᤄᤠᤇᤡ [pu ("bird")/pugʰachi ("two birds")]
    • ᤋᤱ<n><du> ↔ ᤋᤱᤄᤠᤇᤡ [toŋ ("arrow")/toŋgʰachi ("two arrows")]
    • ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣ<n><du> ↔ ᤀᤠᤶᤒᤣᤄᤠᤇᤡ [ambɛ ("mango")/ambɛgʰachi ("two mangoes")]
    • ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠ<n><du> ↔ ᤛᤠᤵᤗᤠᤄᤠᤇᤡ [sapla ("book")/saplagʰachi ("two books")]
    • ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔ<n><du> ↔ ᤖᤠ᤺ᤔᤄᤠᤇᤡ [ra:m ("Ram")/ra:mgʰachi ("two Rams")]


Gender:

There is minimal grammatical gender in this language and it is largely derivational.

Gender is reflected in some handful of the nouns in Limbu which refer to ethnicity, kinship terms, or some handful other terms related to people.

There exist two grammatical genders - male and female

  • Male
  • These are formed through the addition of the suffix <<ᤐᤠ>> (pa) or <<ᤒᤠ>> (ba)
    • ᤏᤠᤰ -> ᤏᤠᤰᤐᤠ [nak ("nephew")/nakpa ("nephew MASC")]
    • ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠ -> ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠᤒᤠ [mɛncha ("grandson")/mɛnchaba ("grandson MASC")]
    • ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ -> ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ᤒᤠ [lamsa ("nephew")/lamsaba ("nephew MASC")]
  • Female
  • These are formed through the addition of the suffix <<ᤔᤠ>>
    • ᤏᤠᤰ -> ᤏᤠᤰᤔᤠ [nak ("nephew")/nakma ("niece")]
    • ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠ -> ᤔᤣᤴᤇᤠᤔᤠ [mɛncha ("grandson")/mɛnchama ("granddaughter")]
    • ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ -> ᤗᤠᤶᤛ᤹ᤔᤠ [lamsa ("nephew")/lamsama ("niece")]

Genitive case

The base case is the Absolutive case in Limbu.

Regular

  • The Genitive case (expressing possession) is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤅᤠᤱ>> (ŋaŋ)
    • ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡ<n><sg><gen> ↔ ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡᤅᤠᤱ [napmi ("man")/napmiŋaŋ ("man's")]
    • ᤂᤩᤠ<n><sg><gen> ↔ ᤂᤩᤠᤅᤠᤱ [khya ("dog")/khyaŋaŋ ("dog's")]
    • ᤀᤕᤰᤐᤠ<n><sg><gen> ↔ ᤀᤕᤰᤐᤠᤅᤠᤱ [ayakpa ("cat")/ayakpaŋaŋ ("cat's")]
    • ᤁᤖᤁᤘᤠ<n><sg><gen> ↔ ᤁᤖᤁᤘᤠᤅᤠᤱ [kararkwa ("chicken")/karakwaŋaŋ ("cat's")]

Irregular

  • If preceded by a dental stop, the <<ᤅᤠᤱ>> changes to a <<ᤏᤠᤱ>>
    • ᤐᤡᤋ<n><sg><gen> ↔ ᤐᤡᤋᤏᤠᤱ [pit ("cow")/pitnaŋ ("cow's")]
  • If preceded by a bilabial consonant, the <<ᤅᤠᤱ>> changes to a <<ᤔᤠᤱ>>
    • ᤀᤡᤗᤠᤶ<n><sg><gen> ↔ ᤀᤡᤗᤠᤶᤔᤠᤱ [ilam ("path")/ilammaŋ ("path's")]

Vocative case

  • The Vocative case (used to address) is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤣ>> (E) or <<ᤥ>> (o) where the latter cannot be added to -i or -u ending words.
    • ᤀᤠᤔᤠ<n><sg><voc> ↔ ᤀᤠᤔᤠᤣ [ama ("mother")/amo ("O mother")]
    • ᤀᤠᤐᤠ<n><sg><voc> ↔ ᤀᤠᤐᤥ [apa ("father")/apo ("O father")]
    • ᤆᤠ᤺ᤔᤠᤱ<n><sg><voc> ↔ ᤆᤠ᤺ᤔᤠᤅᤥ [cha:maŋ ("crop god")/cha:maŋo ("O crop god")]
    • ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡ<n><sg><voc> ↔ ᤏᤠᤵᤔᤡᤀᤣ [napmi ("man")/napmiE ("O man")]
    • ᤐᤢ<n><sg><voc> ↔ ᤐᤢᤀᤣ [pu ("bird")/puE ("O bird")]

Comitative case

  • The Comitative case (used to express 'with') is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤏᤢᤱ>> (nuŋ)
    • ᤀᤠᤔᤠ<n><sg><com> ↔ ᤀᤠᤔᤠᤏᤢᤱ [ama ("mother")/amanuŋ ("'with' mother")]
    • ᤀᤠᤐᤠ<n><sg><com> ↔ ᤀᤠᤐᤠᤏᤢᤱ [apa ("father")/apanuŋ ("'with' father")]
    • ᤛᤣᤒᤠ<n><sg><com> ↔ ᤛᤣᤒᤠᤏᤢᤱ [sɛba ("friend")/sɛbanuŋ ("'with' friend")]
    • ᤆᤢᤶ<n><sg><com> ↔ ᤆᤢᤶᤏᤢᤱ [chum ("chum")/chumnuŋ ("'with' chum")]
    • ᤋᤣ᤺ᤱ<n><sg><com> ↔ ᤋᤣ᤺ᤱᤏᤢᤱ [teŋ ("partner")/teŋnuŋ ("'with' partner")]

Ablative case

  • The Ablative case (used to express 'from') is marked in Limbu through the use of the suffix <<ᤏᤢᤱ>> (nuŋ) or <<ᤗᤠᤠᤶ>> (lam)
    • ᤏᤣᤐᤠᤸ<n><sg><abl> ↔ ᤏᤣᤐᤠᤸᤏᤢᤱ [nepal ("Nepal")/nepalnuŋ ("from Nepal")]
    • ᤁᤠᤌᤔᤠᤴᤍᤢ<n><sg><abl> ↔ ᤁᤠᤌᤔᤠᤴᤍᤢᤗᤠᤠᤶ [kathmandu ("Kathmandu")/kathmandulam ("from Kathmandu")]
    • ᤐᤩᤠᤱᤛᤡ<n><sg><abl> ↔ ᤐᤩᤠᤱᤛᤡᤏᤢᤱ [pyaŋsi ("paddy field")/pyaŋsinuŋ ("from the paddy field")]
    • ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱ<n><sg><abl> ↔ ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱᤏᤢᤱ [yakthuŋ("Limbu")/yakthuŋnuŋ ("from Limbu")]
    • ᤑᤥᤃᤡᤍᤥ<n><sg><abl> ↔ ᤑᤥᤃᤡᤍᤥᤏᤢᤱ [phogido ("Bhutan")/phogidonuŋ ("from Bhutan")]

Tense in Limbu

Limbu only has two tenses - past and non-past, where non-past is unmarked.

Past Tense

  • The past tense is marked in Limbu through the addition of the suffix <<ᤧ>> (ɛ) to a finite verb, but is not used separately as often as in other languages such as English, as the past is implied through the use of other words. Thus, past and non-past are often the same words in inflection. The infinitive form is often used as the base case.
    • ᤀᤡᤶᤔᤠ<v><past> ↔ ᤀᤡᤵᤛᤧ [imma ("to sleep")/i{ps}e ("slept")]
    • ᤗᤡᤶᤔᤠ<v><past> ↔ ᤗᤡᤶᤍᤧ [limma ("to taste sweet")/lim{d}e ("tasted sweet")]
    • ᤛᤥ᤺ᤔᤠ<v><past> ↔ ᤛᤥ᤺ᤛᤧ [so:ma ("to itch")/so:{s}e ("itched")]
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