Limbu and English/Contrastive Grammar

Grammatical Differences

• Limbu is an SOV language, whereas English is SVO.
• Pronouns are often left out as prefixes are added to the verbs.
• No definite articles (a, an, the).

lif-eng tests

1

• (lif) ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱ ᤐᤠᤴ ᤆᤡᤃᤧᤔᤠᤛᤢᤶ॥ → (eng) You've lost a little of the Limbu language.

  (lif) ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱ<n><sg><nom> ᤐᤠᤴ<n><sg><nom> ᤆᤡ<adj><sg> ᤔᤠ᤺ᤔᤠ<v><nonpast><s_pl2><o_3><o_sg><incl> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p2><mf><sp>+have<vbhaver><pres> lose<vblex><pp> a little<adj> of<pr> the<det><def><sp> Limbu<n><sg> language<n><sg>

• (lif) ᤌᤥ ᤆᤢᤔᤧᤸᤗᤧ ᤏᤧᤜᤡ ᤗ᤺ᤳᤋᤢ॥ → (eng) Our friend up above takes out two rupees.

  (lif) ᤌᤥ<pr> ᤆᤢᤶ<n><sg><nom>+ᤀᤧᤸᤗᤧ<erg> ᤏᤧᤜᤡ<n><sg><nom> ᤗ᤺ᤵᤔᤠ<v><nonpast><s_pl1><o_3><incl> → (eng) Our<det><pos><sp> friend<n><sg> up<adv> above<adv> take# out<vblex><sep><pres><p3><sg> two<num><pl> rupee<n><pl>

2

• (lif) ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱ ᤐᤠᤴ ᤆᤡᤃᤧᤔᤠᤛᤢᤶ॥ → (eng) You've lost a little of the Limbu language.

  (lif) ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤱ<n><sg><nom> ᤐᤠᤴ<n><sg><nom> ᤆᤡ<adj><sg> ᤔᤠ᤺ᤔᤠ<v><nonpast><s_pl2><o_3><o_sg><incl> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p2><mf><sp>+have<vbhaver><pres> lose<vblex><pp> a little<adj> of<pr> the<det><def><sp> Limbu<n><sg> language<n><sg>

• (lif) ᤌᤥ ᤆᤢᤔᤧᤸᤗᤧ ᤏᤧᤜᤡ ᤗ᤺ᤳᤋᤢ॥ → (eng) Our friend up above takes out two rupees.

  (lif) ᤌᤥ<pr> ᤆᤢᤶ<n><sg><nom>+ᤀᤧᤸᤗᤧ<erg> ᤏᤧᤜᤡ<n><sg><nom> ᤗ᤺ᤵᤔᤠ<v><nonpast><s_pl1><o_3><incl> → (eng) Our<det><pos><sp> friend<n><sg> up<adv> above<adv> take# out<vblex><sep><pres><p3><sg> two<num><pl> rupee<n><pl>

3

• (lif) ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤶᤒᤧᤸᤗᤧ ᤆᤥᤀᤠᤱ ᤆᤥᤃᤢᤀᤠᤱ॥ → (eng) The Limbu eats, and he works.

  (lif) ᤕᤠᤰᤌᤢᤶᤒᤠ<n><sg><nom>+ᤀᤧᤸᤗᤧ<erg> ᤆᤠᤔᤠ<v><nonpast><s_pl3><os_sg><o_sg><incl>+ᤀᤠᤱ<cj> ᤆᤥ᤺ᤰᤔᤠ<vbdo><nonpast><s_pl3><o_3><o_sg><incl>+ᤀᤠᤱ<cj> → (eng) The<det><def><sp> Limbu<n><sg> eat<vblex><pres><p3><sg> and<cnjcoo> prpers<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> work<vblex><pres><p3><sg>