Kamba and English/ContrastiveGrammar

Kam-Eng Tests

Noun - Determiner --> Determiner - Noun

Because Kamba is a noun-modifier language, its nouns precede the determiner, in these cases, the demonstrative that modifies it, whereas in English, a modifier-noun language, the demonstrative precedes the noun it modifies.

• (kam) ilinda yĩĩ ni yaasa. → (eng) This dress is long.

  (kam) linda<n><cl5><sg> a<dem><det><cl5><sg> ĩ<vbser><prc> asa<adj><cl5><sg> → (eng) This<det><dem><sg> dress<n><sg> be<vbser><pres><p3><sg> long<adj><sint>

• (kam) Vulana ĩĩ nĩ nene. → (eng) This jersey is big.

  (kam) Vulana<n><sg><cl9> a<dem><cl9><sg> ĩ<vbser><prc> asa<adj><cl9><sg> → (eng) This<det><dem><sg> jersey<n><sg> be<vbser><pres><p3><sg> big<adj><sint>

Noun - Adjective --> Adjective - Noun

Again, because modifiers generally follow their nouns in Kamba, whereas the opposite is true in English, this is also true for adjectives, and we will have to have some structural transfer rules for this case as well.

• (kam) Mbũi Ngiti na Ng’ombe nĩ anyanyae anene. → (eng) Goat, Dog, and Cow are great friends.

  (kam) bũi<cl9><sg>giti<n><cl9><sg> na<cnjcoo> g’ombe<n><cl9><sg> ĩ<vbser><prc> nyanya<n><cl2><pl> anene<adj><cl2><pl> → (eng) Goat<n><sg> dog<n><sg> and<cnjcoo> cow<n><sg> be<vbser><pres> great<adj><sint> friends<n><pl>

• (kam) Nĩtũũtandĩthya mĩkonzo myeũ. → (eng) We are trading new poles.

  (kam) tandĩthy<vblex><prc><p1><pl> konzo<n><cl4><pl> eũ<adj><cl4><pl> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p1><mf><pl> be<vbser><pres> trade<vblex><pprs> new<adj><sint> poles<n><pl>

Complex Verb Tense System

Kamba has a complex verb system that includes tense, aspect, mood, and negation markers. In English, tense, aspect, mood, and negation are often expressed using separate words or constructions, while in Kamba, these features are marked using specific affixes attached to the verb stem. The subject is also optional if it can be determined from the person and number of the verb in Kamba, so pronoun insertion also needs to happen. (Also good to mention that there's no distinction between the present and future, which is a more lexical selection-ish thing, but also is more about the larger context than that can handle probably).

• (kam) . → (eng) The man is pulling the rope.

  (kam) Vulana<n><sg><cl9> a<dem><cl9><sg> ĩ<vbser><prc> asa<adj><cl9><sg> → (eng) This<det><dem><sg> jersey<n><sg> be<vbser><pres><p3><sg> big<adj><sint>

No Definite articles

In English, we use the definite article "the" to refer to specific or previously mentioned nouns. For example, "the dog" refers to a particular dog that has already been mentioned or is known to both the speaker and listener. However, in Kamba, there is no equivalent definite article. Instead, the noun classes and contextual information are used to indicate specificity.

(kam) Sokisi ni nguvi. → (eng) The socks are short.

• (kam) Sokisi<n><pl><cl9> ĩ<vbser> guvi<adj><cl9> → (eng) The <null> sock<n><pl> be<vbser> short<adj>