Belizean Creole/Grammar

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