Wamesa and Tongan/Contrastive Grammar
From LING073
Contents
ton-wad tests
Present Tense
We (dual) are happy.
- (ton) ʻoku ma fiefia → (wad) tusanevesie
- (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> ma<prn><prepd><p1><exl><du> fiefia<adj> → (wad) tusanevesie<adj><p1><du><excl>
Sentence structure (VSO vs SVO)
She is not sick.
- (ton) ʻoku ʻikai ke puke → (wad) piota va
- (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> ʻikai<adj> ke<prn><prepd><p2><sg> puke<adj> → (wad) piota<adj><p3><sg> va<neg>
Human vs Nonhuman
Wamesa marks humanness on verbs and adjectives, while Tongan has no such alteration. They (human) are all happy.
- (ton) ʻoku nau lata kotoa pē kinautolu → (wad) setisanevesie
- (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> nau<prn><prepd><p3><pl> lata<adj> kotoa<adj> pē<> kinautolu<prn><postd><p3><pl> → (wad) setisanevesie<adj><p3><pl><hum>
Ordinary/emotional possessive pronouns
My pig. (My cherished pig).
- (ton) siʻaku puaka → (wad) pimunapat
- (ton) siʻaku<prn><poss><emotional> puaka<n><sg> → (wad) pimunapat<n><p1><poss>
Noun Pluralization
The dogs are sick.
- (ton) ʻoku puke e fanga kuli → (wad) wonapasiat sipota
- (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> sick<adj> e<adj><def> fanga<cl><pl> kuli<n><pl> → (wad) wonapasiat<n><def><pl> sipota<adj><p3><pl><nohum>
wad-ton tests
Present Tense
We (dual) are happy.
- (wad) tusanevesie → (ton) ʻoku ma fiefia
- (wad) tusanevesie<adj><p1><du><excl> → (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> ma<prn><prepd><p1><exl><du> fiefia<adj>
Sentence structure (SVO vs VSO)
She is not sick.
- (wad) piota va → (ton) ʻoku ʻikai ke puke
- (wad) piota<adj><p3><sg> va<neg> → (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> ʻikai<adj> ke<prn><prepd><p2><sg> puke<adj>
Human vs Nonhuman
Wamesa marks humanness on verbs and adjectives, while Tongan has no such alteration. They (human) are all happy.
- (wad) setisanevesie → (ton) ʻoku nau lata kotoa pē kinautolu
- (wad) setisanevesie<adj><p3><pl><hum> → (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> nau<prn><prepd><p3><pl> lata<adj> kotoa<adj> pē<> kinautolu<prn><postd><p3><pl>
Ordinary/emotional possessive pronouns
My pig. (My cherished pig).
- (wad) pimunapat → (ton) siʻaku puaka
- (wad) pimunapat<n><p1><poss> → (ton) siʻaku<prn><poss><emotional> puaka<n><sg>
Noun Pluralization
The dogs are sick.
- (wad) wonapasiat sipota → (ton) ʻoku puke e fanga kuli
- (wad) wonapasiat<n><def><pl> sipota<adj><p3><pl><nohum> → (ton) ʻoku<aux><v><present> sick<adj> e<adj><def> fanga<cl><pl> kuli<n><pl>