Complex
verbs
Complex
verbs |
Adverbials
We will have detailed discussion on each of the
above subcategories in the next chapter.
|
| 3.1.2 |
Function
class of words |
|
The
function class of words are those that do not have semantic
contents of their own, but can alter, modify or add
specific meaning to the accompanying content words.
Thus, they are meaningful when they accompany other
content words. In Hmar, function words play a very important
role. Various case relationships, tenses, aspects. moods
etc. are marked by various kinds of functions words
that mostly occur as post-positions and sometimes as
pre-positions. Thus, the function words in Hmar could
be discussed under the following tow catergories :
|
Post-positions,
and
Pre-positions |
| We
will have detailed discussion about their forms and functions
in the next chapter. |
|
Four
categories of the content class or words could be discussed
under the major word-class ‘Nominals’. They include
: |
Nouns
Numerals
Pronouns
Adjectives |
| Of
these four categories, nouns constitute a major content
class of words under Nominals in Hmar. |
|
They function as the head words in the Nouns Phrases,
in short, NP, and they carry a lot of grammatical information.
Nouns are generally classified into proper nouns, common
nouns, abstract nouns etc., But these donot have much
relevance from structural point of view and, therefore,
such classifications are avoided here.
Nouns in Hmar show some kind of inflection for number
gender and case. Closely connected with number is the
feature of marking for definiteness-cum-classification
of the nouns on the basic of size, shape and some specific
quality, Neither number not gender is purely grammatical
but yet, they have some degree of grammatical relevance.
Case is also not very clearly marked by affixation;
in most cases, case relationships are realised by the
use of post positions. However, case relationships are
syntactically relevant.
|
|
Hmar
does not make any distinction between count nouns and
mass nouns, It rather makes a distinction between nouns
of general reference and those of specific reference.
In general reference base forms, that is, bare noun
roots are used. In specific reference it shows a two-way
contrast in terms of number such as singular and plural.
The singular forms are identical with bare roots which
are used in general reference. The plural forms are
derived from the root forms by a morphological process
of suffixation.
The plural morpheme could be conceived as {-hai} which
has an allomorph {-daùm}. The use of these two
could be discussed under.
{-hai}
The plural forms of the nouns as and when required are
constructed from the root forms by suffixing {-hai}.
This suffix is invariably added to all nouns-animate
or inanimate, human or non-human, mass or count. Given
below are few examples : |
|
|
