Rungus and English/Contrastive Grammar

Word order

• Rungus is VSO whereas English is SVO
• (drg) Momobog ko dialo → (eng) You hit him

  (drg) bobog<v><impf><af> oku<prn><pers><p2><sg><nom> dialo<prn><pers><p3><sg><acc> → (eng) you<prn><pers><subj><p2><mf><sg> hit<vblex><pres> him<prn><pers><obj><p3><m><sg>

Determiner

• (drg) Mangagama i tukang do meja → (eng) The workman makes a table

  (drg) gama<v><impf><af> i<det><def><nom> tukang<n> do<det><ind><acc> meja<n> → (eng) the<det><def><sp> workman<n><sg> make<vblex><pres><p3><sg> a<det><ind><sg> table<n><sg>

Possessive pronouns

• In Rungus, possession is expressed with genitive pronouns af
• (drg) Mangatag oku di jiip ku → (eng) I repair my jeep

  (drg) atag<v><impf><af> oku<prn><pers><p1><sg><nom> i<det><def><acc> jiip<n> ku<prn><pers><p1><sg><gen> → (eng) I<prn><pers><subj><p1><mf><sg>} repair<vblex><pres> my<det><pos><sg> jeep<n><sg>

Focus morphology

Actor focus

• Rungus marks actor focus on the verb af, which indicates that the focus argument is an actor
• (drg) Mamanau it ulun → (eng) The person goes

  (drg) panau<v><impf><af> it<det><def><nom> ulun<n> → (eng) the<det><def><sp> person<n><sg> go<vblex><pres><p3><sg>

Patient focus

• Rungus marks patient focus on the verb pf, which indicates that the focus argument is a patient
• (drg) Duaton oku dikau → (eng) I am asked by you

  (drg) duat<v><pf> oku<prn><pers><p1><sg><nom> dikau<prn><pers><p2><sg><acc> → (eng) I<prn><pers><subj><p1><mf><sg> be<vblex><p1><sg> ask<vblex><pp> by<pr> you<prn><pers><p2><mf><sg>

Beneficiary focus

• (drg) Tinahakan oku do tinggol → (eng) I was given necklaces

  (drg) tahak<v><perf><pf><vol> oku<prn><pers><p1><sg><nom> do<det><ind><acc> tinggol<n> → (eng) I<prn><pers><subj><p1><mf><sg> be<vblex><past><p1><sg> given<adj> necklace<n><pl>