Tiwi and English/Contrastive Grammar

Tiw-Eng Tests

Subject Deletion

• (tiw) pirripakijiti → (eng) they floated

  (tiw) akijiti<vblex><iv><past><s_p13> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><mf><pl> float<vblex><past>

• (tiw) pirripakirlumurri → (eng) they were tired

  (tiw) akirlumurri<vblex><iv><past><s_p13> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><mf><pl> be <vbser> <past> tired <adj><past>

• (tiw) pirriwapa → (eng) they ate

  (tiw) wapa<vblex><iv><past><s_p13> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><mf><pl> eat<vblex><past>

Pronoun to Possessive Suffix

• (tiw) yirrikipayi ngarra tuwara → (eng) the crocodile's tail

  (tiw) yirrikipayi<n><m> ngarra <prn><m><p3><sg> tuwara<n> → (eng) the <det><def><sp> crocodile <n><sg> 's <gen> tail <n><sg>

Inserting 'Be' Verbs

• (tiw) ngarra minimarti → (eng) he is generous

  (tiw) ngarra<prn><m><p3><sg> minimarti <adj><m> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> be <vbser><pres><p3><sg> generous <adj>

• (tiw) ngarra kijinga → (eng) he is small

  (tiw) ngarra<prn><m><p3><sg> kiji <adj><f> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p3><m><sg> be <vbser><pres><p3><sg> small <adj><sint>

• (tiw) awurra wawurruwi → (eng) those are men

  (tiw) awurra<prn><dem><pl> wawurru <n><pl> → (eng) that<prn><dem><mf><pl> be <vbser><pres> man <m><pl>

• (tiw) ngiya paruwani → (eng) I am hungry

  (tiw) ngiya<prn><p1><sg> paruwani <adj> → (eng) prpers<prn><subj><p1><mf><sg> be# hungry <vblex><pres><p1><sg>

• (tiw) kamini naki? → (eng) what is this?

  (tiw) kami<prn><itg><m> naki<prn><dem><sg> → (eng) what <prn><itg><mf><sp> be <vbser><pres><p3><sg> this<prn><dem><mf><sg>